World Cup 91 [roleplays]

by **Hapilopper** » Mon May 23, 2022 7:34 pm

Capital Stadium, Hapilopper City
Before World Cup 91 Match 17: Hapilopper v. Valanora

The silence in the Team Hapilopper clubhouse was so loud, it would just about drive you crazy. The biggest match of the entire qualifying campaign lie ahead, the top two teams in Group 15, Hapilopper and Valanora. Ahead, so much was at stake. If Team Hapilopper won, they would get to enjoy a five-point lead on the Vanorians, and a much easier road to qualifying for World Cup 91. If the Vanorians won, it would shift the balance of power in the group – Valanora would then have a one-point lead over the Haps with just a handful of matches to play. And if the match ended in a tie, Hapilopper’s lead would remain at two points, with the Haps praying for the unlikely outcome of someone taking points away from Valanora in future matches.

The nerves on the Hapiloppian team were as real as could be. Sure, the team was still in top form, but that tie to Savigliane hurt. That tie was the last thing the Haps needed, especially after Valanora took two points off of their lead with that 6-2 victory over Caribbia. It seemed almost as if the Haps had started to stumble since the Nathan Ellis tackle on that poor player from East Murbley – some, such as Thom Perkins, suggested that cost the Haps a key victory over the Euran Oceania Territories. And the match against Savigliane was a matter of Hapilopper not learning lessons they had taken from their first match.

For the last several weeks, Nathan had agonized over that tackle in the East Murbley match. At the time, he was certain he had done the right thing, but as the days and weeks ticked by, he started doubting it. Once again, he found himself having a hard time sleeping at night as he wondered if he had doomed Team Hapilopper with the hit. He wondered if he had doomed what people said was Hapilopper’s best national football team ever. And if that was going to be on his conscience, he didn’t want to keep playing. He figured that he would retire after this season if the team failed to qualify for the World Cup, to take that full-time assistant manager’s position that seemed to be his.

The Hapiloppian clubhouse didn’t feel like it probably should before this huge match, possibly the biggest match in their history. The tension was unbelievable, nobody saying anything. There was no music playing, the televisions were off. Just a bunch of players staring at each other, worried about what was to come. They knew the stakes. They knew that this match, on this evening, would either make or break their World Cup qualifying hopes.

But you know who also knew that? The fans outside, in the stands, tailgating in some of the parking lots, drinking beer and getting shitty in the restaurants around the stadium. If the clubhouse was dead silent, the area all around was as loud as it had ever been. They knew the stakes too. And they knew they had to do something – anything – to will the Haps ahead of Valanora again. Lighting could strike twice again.

And you know who also knew that? A familiar-looking man, making the way towards the Team Hapilopper clubhouse with the fury of a thousand suns. He had been told by a coach that the team was nervous as could be as they prepared to take on Valanora again. The Elves. The damn Eternal Empire. This man didn’t care. As he got to a back entrance to Capital Stadium, a security guard tried to stop him before he realized just who he was dealing with. The guard was grabbed by the scruff of the neck as the man stormed his way towards the Team Hapilopper clubhouse. When he got there, he threw the guard down and kicked the door open to the clubhouse.

“Someone want to tell me why in the hell you guys look like you’re running scared?” barked Ernie Stevenson, wearing a modern-day Team Hapilopper jersey, looking for all the world like he could play right now.

It was the first time he had stepped foot in the clubhouse since he retired after sending a penalty kick skyward after the 64th AOCAF tournament, and he looked pissed off. He looked like he was ready to run through a concrete wall for this team, and he looked like wanted to get those guys to run through that concrete wall with him.

“God damn it!” Ernie snapped. “Look at you. ALL of you. Hell, even you, Ellis. You are a killer! You are the meanest son of a bitch I’ve ever seen on a football pitch but now, what? You’re doubting yourself for what? Because you hit someone and you hit a slump? Fuck that. There ain’t no better time to break a slump than right now. I remember what you said the last time I was on a field with you and it rings true right now. You fucking get this job done. This team ain’t ready to go away into this good night. YOU GET IT DONE.”

As Nathan sat up, trying to process what was going on, Ernie looked at a handful of players, many of which he had never played with, and decided now was the time to get them ready.

“Peter Robson. Toby Bryson. Herb Northrop. Parker Mathis…. You are the scorers,” Ernie started. “You know what to do. I never got to play with y’all. I keep hearing I was the best goalscorer this team ever had, I disagree with that. Pete, Toby, you’re going to take that mantle from me and I hope you do it tonight. You take your chances and you make the most of them. Parker… you, my dancing friend, I don’t really care where you came from or who your daddy is, but you’re what this team needs. I see those moves you pull. I see what you can do, and I see how you’ve fired this team up. Hell, you’ve fired us all up.”

Ernie was right. “The Funky Parker,” as it was called, had become the most popular dance among Hapiloppians since the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign, and kids at schools across the Dominion had started doing it, with one school banning it after numerous kids jumped onto cafeteria tables to do “The Funky Parker” in the middle of lunch.

The mood in the Team Hapilopper clubhouse, as Ernie spoke, was no longer that of melancholy, and was now absent that dark foreboding fear that had pervaded it earlier. Now, the players were more ready to go, some breathing heavily as they saw their childhood hero looking for all the world like he wanted to raise some hell.

“And Jerry Dickman, man, I remember you,” Ernie said. “I watch you play these days, you’ve got what it takes, kid. I remember you starting that deal in Taeshan and you’ve bounced back. You’ve become the right kind of Hapiloppian player. You embody what it takes to be a Hapiloppian footballer. Guts, hard work, and a willingness to do whatever it takes.

“I don’t think I need to explain why I’m here,” Ernie continued. “This is the biggest game of your lives. If you win… they’ve been talking about Hapilopper possibly being the Team of the 90s. If you win, that idea becomes a hell of a lot easier. There’s so much you can do if you win this. You beat them last time, and you beat them last time in their house. Who’s to say you can’t beat them again HERE?”

As Ernie spoke, more and more players started feeling it. That feeling that they could do it.

“They talked about must-win games, and THIS ONE, god damn it, is as must win as I’ve ever seen it. DO IT! TAKE THEM THE FUCK OUT AND GET IT DONE!”

The mood had completely transformed. Team Hapilopper was as ready, as fired up, and as excited to get going as the fans outside were. As excited as Ernie was. As Thom Perkins came out of his office, a huge smile on his face, he spotted a team ready to run through that concrete wall and run through the Eternal Empire. It had worked. Thom had called Ernie, asking for some help, and boy, did he ever get it.

by **Pemecutan** » Mon May 23, 2022 10:22 pm

Part 4.8

Partayasa tidying up his clothes. It's time to say goodbye to this city and also this country. The referendum have finished. No serious incident occurs. Now they just waited for the official results. It might be take longer. A week or maybe more. Partayasa walks to the window. He can see the clear sky above and a quite quiet city below. It's already pass noon. His flight is on the afternoon.

But it is not his time yet to go back to Pemecutan. He still have the mission from the Patih Agung. There are 2 countries that he need to visit after this. Toluiwa and Rarungan. Thankfully, he already make an appointment with the leaders from both countries. While about the AMAN leader meeting, Patih Agung have informed him that the deputy that will go with him. It's kind of a disappointment from Partayasa himself. He was eager to joined the previous delegate to Thousandsfork but he can't. It was only for the leader which is the Patih Agung only. Then now, the second meeting is not in the right time for him as he has another mission from the Patih Agung himself.

He sigh deeply before turn to the bed. He sit on the bedside while checking on his suitcase. Double checking so nothing is left behind. The knock on the door alert him.

'Who is it?' ask Partayasa with a louder voice as the distance between the bedroom and the room door is quite far.
'It's me, Sir,' answer the man behind the door.
'Oh. Is it about time? Wait a minute,' say Partayasa.
It is his usual driver who already take him everywhere in the city. And now he is pick him up to the airport. His last destination. Partayasa take a short glance of the room. He slightly smile before he drag his suitcase to the door. Goodbye Ampenan.

MISSION POSSIBLE

Pemecutan delegation has arrived at Anara International Airport for AMAN Leaders meeting which is initiate by Eraman Bendahara. Their arrival is ahead of the said schedule but it is something that has been plan by the Patih Agung. He never have the time to visit Eraman before after their change from Tun Segalang Petara. So it is a great opportunity to reconnect the relationship of both nations. He is also wants to talk further about his statement about the region's name changing. Kusumajaya is quite surprise with the statement and the effect it has.

The delegation is escorted to their hotel room. It is a luxury room. Kusumajaya smile lightly as how the Eraman government treat their guests. It is amusing. Kusumajaya decide to take some rest. The flight have taken his energy. But he is distracted with his cellphone. He check on the message and find one from Partayasa. 'He is on the trip to Toluiwa,' he thought. Kusumajaya put his cellphone on the side table of the bedroom. He rested his body on the soft and tender bed as his mind swirling around about his plan. His vision for a better future. 'It is possible, right?' he murmured. The soft bed really give a quick effect on him. Less than 5 minutes and he is already asleep. He is forgetting about everything that he is thinking before and let his body to rest.

Back in Selaparang

'This is not good, Sir,' say a bearded man.
'Why?' ask the white clothed man who is sitting in front of him.
'The current result. They lean to current status,' answer the bearded man.
'It's just less than 1% of the votes. Why are you so worry?' refute the white clothed man. He suddenly turn to the bearded man.
'I'm sorry, Sir. I'm just afraid,' he say.
'I have use my influence in the parliament so everyone choose the other option. We need a complete sovereignty. We are a sovereign country. We don't need other country to dictate us. To protect us. To babysit us. You know that!' say the white clothed man with a fiery voice. The bearded man bow down. He realize that his fright have insult his boss.
'And after the referendum, it is the time to start our Plan B,' informed the white clothed man.
'What is it, Sir?' ask the bearded man.
'We'll take over the government,' say the white clothed man with a firm tone and a wide smile.
'That's a brilliant plan, Sir. And you will be the next President of Cakranegara. President Hambali,' flatter the bearded man.

The white clothed man who is none other than Ali Akbar Hambali, the Governor of Selaparang. He is the one behind the extreme nationalist movement in the country. He is the mastermind behind all of the commotions that happen in the country lately. His mission is one. Becoming President.

by **Astograth** » Mon May 23, 2022 11:18 pm

Previously

It had been an exhausting day of governance for Grand Duke Gaxan, ruler of Astograth. It had even stretched all the way to lunchtime.

It had started with a review of adjustments to the state pension system, then he’d given the go-ahead to the upgrades on the rail line to Mekhamengi, and lastly approved several more million diru for the long-running ‘Future Generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Tracked and Cannoned’ project. The last of these encapsulated his frustrations with government: a bloated, meandering, bottomless money sink with no end in sight. Every so often they ran the details past him, to a glazed-over expression.

The bottom line was that, after 20 years of tests, the consortium engineers and their Ministry of Defence supervisors promised to finalise a viable prototype for the FGIFVTC… within another 2 years. The current infantry vehicles and armoured personnel carriers were almost a half-century old, and the delays on a replacement had stalled a half-dozen Army restructurings. Each anticipated a new IFV design that never went into production; Gaxan would sign off in the half-knowledge that they’d bring him another plan to approve just a few years later. The project was uncancellable, however: the sunk cost was scandalous, and the idea of an Astograthian-designed, cutting-edge military vehicle had acquired significant cultural cachet and propaganda value. Most of the country’s materiel was sourced from foreign suppliers, among them Eura, so the FGIFVTC project had been promoted as an exercise in sovereignty and self-reliance. In addition, it would allow Astograth to enter the lucrative international arms market with something meatier than small arms, in places like Nyowani Kitara, or as far away as Tumbra… or as close as Cassadaigua. But the future remained speculation; the present was a headache. Alas, uncancellable.

His next and final official engagement of the day was lunch with his Chief Advisor, the Minister of Interior: Lord Gorka Irunkiaga. Gaxan planned to bring up two matters of foreign policy: his wish to attend the funeral of King Jakob of Pasarga, and what to do about the succession crisis in Cassadaigua.

“With respect, Your Majesty: it isn’t safe.”

Of course, he first had to contend with his Chief of Staff talking back to him. Something which he normally encouraged, but which proved aggravating on occasion.

“The succession situation in Pasarga is unclear, sir, to the point the media don’t even know who the head of state is. It could spiral into a messier crisis than Cassadaigua, even before the funeral is over.”

“Royals need to stick together,” proclaimed Gaxan. The old order of Rushmore, the Ancient Regime if you will, was being steadily beaten down. Empowered royalty had become increasingly rare through such poison as liberal democracy, socialism, and Nepharanism. To preserve their sovereign(ty) and way of life, it was in Astograth’s interests to stand with those nations which recognised the value of monarchy, and which hadn’t neutered it into a ceremonial role – places like Pasarga, Cassadaigua, Falkyr, and Valladares. Falkyr had virtually isolated itself, however, so there was little to do there, and relations with Valladares were made difficult by their antagonism to Eura. Eura was, naturally, the Rushmori superpower, and their state ideology did not exactly get along with Astograth’s absolute monarchy – but Astograthian policy from before Gaxan’s time dictated that aligning with Eura was a matter of self-preservation. Keep your friends close and your (potential) enemies closer, as they say.

That left Pasarga and Cassadaigua. And no-one thought Gaxan’s plan to get closer to Pasarga was any good.

“Sir, even the Majistars are avoiding the funeral. We can send someone else. Someone… lower ranking.”

“Such as?”

His Chief of Staff hesitated. “The Duke of Bizkarra, perhaps.”

“You’d send a clown?” retorted the Grand Duke with a sneer.

“Perhaps the Countess of Binefal, then.” Gaxan’s first cousin, Princess Nerea. Another stupid proposition.

“The last person I want to be parading right now is the one person with a claim on my throne.”

“You think her a threat, sir?”

“Not her. The people who might use her, yes.” And who were those people? Anyone, potentially. His own Chief Advisor-Minister of the Interior, most likely. The first 12 years of his reign had already been spent under the iron regency of one of those – Lord Protector Gaskon Ugarte – and the tyranny had extended well past Gaxan’s eighteenth birthday. And there were other subversive actors at play; foreign governments could seek to install her as a puppet regime, for instance. Or an Iturributan insurgency, uh… somehow. “No. Out of the public eye is where she belongs.” The Grand Duke racked his brain for someone in the family close enough to him that it wouldn’t be insulting, serious enough to not be embarrassing, and distant enough that it wouldn’t be catastrophic for them to get caught up in some light civil war.

There was really only one answer, though, the go-to. “Cousin Anderazu,” he said, resigned.

“The Countess of Olazar? A good choice, Your Majesty.” A boring choice. His second-cousin Anderazu was the blandest, most paint-by-numbers member of the family. Well-dressed, intensely protocol-oriented and an awful conversationalist – unless it was about the local rowing season. Gaxan would run it by the Chief Advisor and Foreign Affairs, but there was no doubt they’d give the green light.

That left Cassadaigua. Gaxan had taken his time making up his mind. The majority view among his cabinet – and the opinion of the diplomatic service, through its top technocrat the Foreign Affairs Minister – was to do nothing. That was a tacit endorsement of the status quo: Queen Cassie II’s successor would be the Princess Cassie, to-be Cassie III. The reason being… there was no reason to get involved. Yet sides were being taken. Banija – those Atlantian interlopers – had thrown their weight behind the Cassies. Their influence on Rushmore was dubious after the disaster of Nyowani Kitara. More important was Eura’s stance, which Gaxan’s Chief Advisor-Minister of Interior claimed to have no intelligence on. The silence from Bastion was taken to mean support for the status quo, and this was perhaps the biggest sticking point on the matter. If the situation escalated and Astograth found itself opposing Eura, it would contravene close to a century of Astograthian geopolitical theory, and could well be suicidal.

But for Gaxan, there was a very big reason to get involved. Princess Brianna’s plight, and the matter of succession in general, touched him deeply. His own succession had been secured through negotiations following the crisis surrounding the death of Gaxan’s grandfather Aitor IV, which ended with his uncle Lastur taking the throne and Gaxan becoming his uncle’s heir. This twisted the line of succession away from Lastur in a way very similar to what Brianna claimed was her right. To not support Brianna undermined Gaxan’s own legitimacy. Moreover, it was the right thing to do. And other countries agreed: the Pavolan alliance of Tikariot, Græntfjall, and ‘sectors’ of Nyowani Kitara, plus Yuezhou, had of course already intervened to back Brianna. Astograth would not be going it alone, and would have footing to de-escalate with Eura in case it came to a confrontation.

Of his cabinet, it was only the perennial war hawks who advocated for Brianna’s claim, though it was not Gaxan’s intention to provoke a war. The Armed Forces had not exactly covered themselves in glory with their costly, largely useless ‘support’ of the Euran blockade of Nyowani Kitara, which made them even more unpopular than usual within his government.

But to hell with it all. To hell with his lamprey of a Chief Advisor, with his Foreign Affairs Minister, with all the cabinet and the suits and Eura and the family. He’d deal with each in their time. He was the Grand Duke, and his word was the law. Succession was the single most important part of any monarchy, a fact any commoner in Astograth would agree with him on. Cassadaigua would do things right, and Gaxan would see to it personally. Astograth will support Princess Brianna’s claim, to whatever consequence.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

House of Assembly, Belle Haven
Ministerial Questions, Monday 23 May

11:42
Mr Speaker: "Foreign & External Affairs Questions. Nancy Bellingham"

Mrs Nancy Bellingham (LTU-Springfield County) "Thank you Mr Speaker, I beg leave to ask the Foreign Minister if she has read the comments from the Banijan Isebantu regarding the situation in Cassadaigua and if the government has developed an opinion one way or another on the succession question there?"

Mr Speaker: The Foreign Minister

Mrs Hannah Delaney (Minister of State for Foreign & External Affairs) (F-Sanborn & Cambria) " Mr Speaker, I'm happy to spell out the government's view to the Assembly and the Distinguished Lady, if I may under the Five Minute Rule?"

Mr Speaker: "Without Objection"

Mrs Delaney: "We have independently come to the same view that the Kingdom has expressed regarding the claim of Princess Cassie III to the throne in right of her mother The Queen. I spoke to the Isebantu yesterday via telephone where we discussed our nations' reasoning and the precedents that we feel are the strongest support of the current line of succession in Cassadaigua.
11:48
While we respect the arguments that Princess Brianna makes, the Commonwealth's position is based upon common law principles of disinheritance. We do not claim to know how that applies in Cassadaigua, but that is how we have come to our opinion."

______________________________________________________________________________________

Down the stretch, BPNT pushes pace
Scott McCrae
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

The Commonwealth National Team have made it through 16 of the 22 matchdays in qualifying for World Cup 91 in Farfadillis and Græntfjall, coming off a pair of clean sheet victories which has pushed them to a six point advantage over Jeruselem atop Group 4.

With twelve wins and a pair of draws in their 15 matches played, BP have the 7th best overall record among the 165 nations, although their final run-in looks much more difficult that it did following the group stage draw.
In addition to third seeded Trolleborg, currently nine points off the lead but just three behind the Tiger Princesses, Pyazhnaya, Acastanha and Gortolekua are battling with Ranoria over fourth place.

Kelvin Buxton and Serena McDavid provided all of the offense needed against TotoMishin in a 2-0 away victory, while Daniel Pryor had the lone tally against Ranoria at Rogers Stadium, as the Bees have now gone unbeaten in 26 of the last 28 matches dating back to the start of AOCAF 66.

Manager Jennifer Prescott--"Our sixth clean sheet in this tournament is something we are proud of. But we'll need to continue that discipline over these final matches, as we're now going to be concentrating on getting the regular starting lineup and the rotation set. We'll be cutting the pool down significantly ahead of the next break, but we've been thrilled with the performance of everyone during the campaign."

"It's been interesting to see how quickly some of the nations in this group have risen, I don't know what it is about teams we face in group stages. I don't know if they get extra motivated to play in a group with us, whether there's some connection with the fact we're willing to play up & coming nations in friendlies. Whatever it is, I hope it continues."

"The thing about this qualifying that's different since the last time we had to play our way in (WCQ89) is now I have twice as many people on the bench who have opinions about what we should do (crowd laughter). 'Let the staff run the squads in some tournaments' they said (more laughter). 'It'll be good for the whole setup' they insisted (laughter). But really, it has been a huge advancement for the entire (NT) staff, because now we are all attuned to the whole technical/tactical...uh...synergy, because I can't think of less stupid sounding word (laughter)."

Lineup vs Tekatus:

Callaway; Flowers, Kucera, Bauer; Rizzo, D'Amico, Nolan (C), Aguillar; Wadsworth; Garvey, Mack

Lineup vs Pyazhnaya:

Vickers; Brooks, Rasanamira (C), Wiseman; Grimaldi, Vuckovic, Milton, Shanahan; Price; Harris, Gibson

by **Fort McKinley** » Mon May 23, 2022 11:54 pm

COMRADE ALLEN PRAISED
(FMNA) SHILOH SPRINGS--The Outstanding Players from the Baptism of Fire in the capitalist hellhole of Mertagne were announced, with Comrade D.G. Allen of the Fort McKinley National Football Team of course chosen for his excellence, having scored three times in the tournament, which saw our Heroes of the Revolution bamboozled with foul play by the organizers resulting in elimination.
Comrade Allen has continued his stardom during the ongoing World Cup qualifying, scoring 11 times in the 14 matches he has participated in.

David had sent an email to Liam West, the Saint Eleanor NT Captain, with a very brief outline of what he had in mind for the 'extra-curricular' portion of the visit by the Fort McKinley National Team to West's home nation.

Liam,
I'm David Guy Allen, we faced each other during the Fort McKinley-Saint Eleanor match. I was informed by your FA on twii.tur that you didn't have an account there, but I did get a message from your teammate Exandra Davies, and the FA gave me this email address.

I'm contacting you ahead of our match to ask a very important favor from you, which you have no obligation to give to someone you've never met.
Myself, my girlfriend, my older sister and her boyfriend are looking to leave the country permanently, at the end of this qualifying. Although I lead a very comfortable life as a footballer and the son of a high ranking Republic Party official, as well as being a descendant of Dr Lester Allen, the founder of this nation, I don't want to spend the rest of my life here. I read what you said in the interview and of course you hit on many truths.
What the four of us have been preparing is moving money out of the country to banks in nations where we could have access to it once we leave. I want to place some in a Saint Eleanor bank, which is where I'd like your help.

If you could take the cash I'm bringing and deposit it into an account—your own or another that you set up—I would be in your debt forever. Of course when I'm able I will compensate you for your help.
Please keep this communication between ourselves, as anything could go wrong if somehow the security service were to discover the plan. I can give you more detail if you honor me with your acceptance.

Yours,
D.G. Allen

The problem David couldn't solve was the amount of money he could safely take with him. There was only so much space in the false bottom compartment, so F^50,000 was all he was going to be able to move this time.
He was optimistic about the reply he received to his blind solicitation.

Morning, Dave

and my sincere apologies for not marking you close enough the other month - although in fairness, I couldn't have done any better.
I'll happily take you up on the cash. Please tell me what else you're expecting of me from this operation and I'll oblige.

Cheers,
Liam

The plan he and West worked out along with the assistance of Exandra Davies was similar to how he managed to get the money to the Sarzonian in Jabal Akhdar. He would phone the front desk prior to the team leaving for training Friday, asking if someone could come to his room while he was gone--it could even be a housekeeper--and pick up a small item to be held at the desk until someone called for it later that day. Davies, or someone she designated, would then retrieve the package. He'd brought along a “shaving kit” that he tested ahead of time to make sure he could fit the 20 bundles of F100 brass tacks in packs of 50, and that's how the exchange would go down.

by **Gnejs** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:02 am

Intermission - Cooking with Georg Heraklit

Comrades, we briefly interrupt this broadcast from the WC91-qualifications with a few choice words from our broadcasting partner.

”Hey there dudes and dudettes, I’m beloved international tennis star extraordinaire, Georg Heraklit. You know what I like to do to get the loins in the right position before I start clay season? I cook awesome meals. That’s right. Now, I don’t always cook with chicken, but when I do, I always use chicken from Valhall Free-Range Chicken. Why? Because it’s the best.

Today I’m gonna cook you a luscious chicken lasagna. It’s a bit of work to get it all there, but man it sits right when you’re done; perfect to just gorge when the Dandelions march on; Go Dandelions! Let’s get to it.

You’ll need a few things. First of all, we’re gonna make some tomato sauce. Get loads of garlic, chop it all up and fry it good with some olive oil. Add your chili, oregano and a couple of boxes of tomatoes. Now, you want the full tomatoes, not just the crushed kind. Let it all simmer. I usually let it sit there for an hour or so, but you can go lighter on that. Add some vinegar and mix it all up and throw some marjoram, salt and pepper in there. Maybe a little extra olive oil to top it off, and then just let it sit there for a while, making itself all juicy and nice for you.

Now, chop up some onions and carrots, and bring out that chicken. I use Valhall Minced, which is the perfect product here. Get all of that in your pot with some butter and olive oil, and when you’ve got that perfect color, stir in your tomato paste and tomato sauce together with some extra basil, a few fennel seeds, some more salt and pepper, maybe some parsley. Let it sit for an hour and a half. Just remember to stir every now and then.

Now it’s time to make that great white sauce. Bring out cream, flour and butter. Loads of butter and cream. No, seriamente amigo, when you start thinking «man, this is way too much cream and butter» that’s when you know you’re like halfway, and when your arteries starts feeling clogged, that’s when you know you’re done. Melt the butter, toss in the flour and add cream little by little while constantly stirring, and add some grated cheese every now and then. Sprinkle some nutmeg, and in the end, you’ll have a bowl of white gold all ready to mix and mingle with your heavenly chicken-tomato ragù.

Layering time. Get your oven dish, throw some of that ragù in there and pour on a hefty amount of white sauce. Top it of with a few lasagna sheets, and then repeat until you’re all out off creamy goodness. Top it all with a massive amount of cheddar cheese. In the oven for about 20 at 220.

And that’s it guys, that’s your chicken lasagna all done. Now, I’ve cheated a bit, so I’ve already got me one all done right here, and now it’s time to taste that beauty.

But I want to get serious here for a minute. I know this might come as a shock to the sensibilities of a few of you good Union citizens out there, but hear me out. Have you ever noticed that when you slice into the lasagna with a knife, that all the cheese spills to the one side and all the meat spills to the other side, leaving the diner with the awkward attempt to scoop up both components with their fork? There’s a way to fix that, a way to achieve no spillage and even distribution. That’s right, folks, I’m talking about eating it with a spoon, like our great Friends in Baggieland have done it for the last 15 000 years. Baggies, they truly are a pilar of modern civilization. I’m going to try that right now, look at me go!”

Cooking with Georg Heraklit is brought to you by Valhall Free-Range Chicken.

Valhall Chicken - Their sacrifice, Your Enjoyment

……….

Part 4: Moving up and dropping out

He defended his bachelor thesis in the early autumn of 1976, around the same time he ushered The Ravens to their first title. His thesis was an investigation into how the balance between hope and expectation was structured within the unconscious. His marks were below average, but he still got his application to the master program accepted, starting early the next year. He enjoyed coaching The Ravens immensely, and spent most of his time away from the team researching in the university library, mainly into the history of football, military strategy and old fantasy novels, which no doubt had a negative impact on his regular academic activities.

The somewhat loose and fluid structures of amateur football made it easy for him to remain friends with Harald, Jonas and the rest of of the people on the team, while simultaneously coaching them. It was mixed-sex, unlike the professional football being played in the real leagues, and he even dated one the midfielders for a few months. She was called Kristina and was heavily into astrology and tarot readings. It was kind of cute to begin with, but predictably ended up being annoying as fuck.

They won the 1977 FKFL as well, and was starting to become a real nuisance to the other teams. He received several written complaints from other clubs, accusing him of taking the whole thing too seriously and treating The Ravens too much like a real football team; the point of all of this was having fun, and playing The Ravens was not fun. This was also a time when he started taking a more general interest in football. Despite misgivings, he accompanied his players/friends to both League 1 and 2 games being played in the city. He preferred the second tier, mainly because there were fewer people in attendance and the atmosphere, in his opinion, was less vibrant, hysterical and prone to spontaneous fits of violence. Of course, the north never did have the same level of football related violence as other parts of the Union, and by this point things had mostly started to quiet down in general. But he still remained pretty steadfast in his views on the dangers of combining large groups, football and heated feelings. He slowly developed a liking of Gressbakken BK, a League 2 mid-table team from the south side of town. They had few swift and skilled players, and rather seemed to depend on “obstruction” as their main strategy. They rarely managed to play that sort of game to perfection, lacking a good combination of speed and strength, but he felt like they had the right idea, as opposed to many other teams from the upper tiers.

Sometimes when people talk about modern Union football, you can get the impression that nobody had even heard of defending oneself before the 1980’s and 1990’s, when he truly came along. This is untrue, of course, because Union football has traditionally always been more geared toward strict organization and a solid defense. There was a a general trend though, from the late 1950’s and onwards to the mid 1990’s where most domestic teams drew inspiration from a more continental style of play, emphasizing swift play and attacking formations. In these days we see the remnants of that inspiration with Vika teams like Lokomotiv Esaias and Welmia IF in the south. That sort of offensive style is also colloquially - and often condescendingly - called «southron football», and while many use it based on how some southron teams of today play, the term rather originated in the 1960’s and referenced continental Rushmore down south.

For the first time since he came north, his mother and father came to visit him during these years. He had been opposed to them visiting, instead mainly coming to see them in Port Kejm, although his visits had become more sparse. He was uncertain as to why, but he probably felt like Finntorp and the north was his “own” space, whereas Port Kejm, his family and old friends were a part of a different life. This feeling subsided over the years, and they came on several visits during the spring and autumn of ‘77. His mother was disappointed to learn he no longer played tennis, whereas his father was over the moon about his footballing activities. They attended several games together, and his father even got to see his beloved Storängen IF beat Finntorp IK in a chaotic 3-2 game. Now being a man in his mid-50’s, his father had also dialed down his profanity-laden shouting, and was in general less hateful towards his team’s opponents. This was well after that incident that left a young Kejm BK supporter dead, but the whole thing had affected his father deeply. He didn’t even mind his son confessing that he actually supported northern teams like Finntorp and Gressbakken, instead of Kejm teams. Mostly, his father was just glad they both finally shared an interest in football.

As he started his second year of his masters program, he continued falling increasingly behind, becoming more and more obsessed with implementing his vision of football with The Ravens. He was perfecting his setup of a «layered wall», in part based on classical battle sequences from the old tale A Song of Slab and Gravel. However, early in 1978, several things happened that made The Ravens implode. Jonas, the old coach and centerpiece in their defensive line, injured himself on the factory floor and had to amputate his leg. This was a great blow to the entire team. Around the same time, Harald decided to quit playing and instead focus on his thesis on how the prolonged governance of the ruling Unionist Party affected the national psyche. He eventually finished it, titled Fuck those fucking fascists, fuck their family and friends: the Unionist Party’s enslavement of the Gnejsian mind, and graduated at the top of their class. Several of the other players dropped off as well, and in the end he was left without a team to coach. It hit him hard, and he retreated into a somewhat depressive state, that smell of cheese soon appearing once again.

At the same time as his team disappeared, he was supposed to be working on his own thesis. He had his theme all laid out, but had trouble motivating himself to do any actual work. It was centered around theories about a constitutive lack in the human subject, making true satisfaction impossible, for his field of interest meaning the state can never truly please people. The best the state can aim for, he claimed, was instilling people with a sense of hope that they’ll be taken care of, subduing that core of lack within human being momentarily. That, he theorized, buys the state time to actually do it’s doings and improve. When people start expecting the state to deliver, however, that lack will kick in and produce dissatisfaction, robbing the state of its window of tranquility to actually get things done properly; forced to spend time on damage control and implementing suboptimal solutions. His idea was applying these theories to the present context, where a series of reforms were being rolled out with the common denominator for all of them being efficiency through centralizing functions and closing down smaller government offices in rural areas. Postal, tax, welfare, police, etc.

He made an honest attempt, but never finished it. One day when he sat at his local pub, pulling his hair in frustration, he was approached by a woman with a velvet scrunchie. Her name was Matilda Winger, and she was the head coach of Gressbakken BK. He had slowly made a name for himself working with The Ravens, and she was looking for a new assistant coach. It wouldn’t pay much, hardly anything, actually, but she said he’d get a chance to implement his ideas on real players in a real league. He decided then and there to drop out and go for it.

by **TJUN-ia** » Tue May 24, 2022 4:53 am

By Peter Davis

After a cycle from heel which saw us take only 1 point from a possible 6, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were starting to feel like they were fighting a losing battle. 7 points back with 7 to play, it just wasn't looking good and getting only a point from Barunia was described as a death knell by some fans across the International Community. Some were even more focused on booking tickets to the Cup of Harmony, wherever that end up being, as a return to our traditional haunting grounds looks imminent. But some, especially those in the team and certainly David Seems and Li Xiu Ying, this fight was not over just yet. 7 points in 7 games may seem improbable, but it is certainly not impossible for a gap that big to be caught up. As long as the maths said it was still possible, then it was still possible for us to make the playoffs. Simple as that.

We would certainly need that mindset as the Snowy Owls of Tikariot came to Beregozera and Szensky. Krasnaya Stena was absolutely not going to let Brian McAllister run rampant in their house and as such, they brought the thunder that the TJUN-ians fed off as the teams came out of the tunnel. A chance for revenge at home is an opportunity that should not be underestimated at all and as such, the Jaguars fought for bragging rights out there on Lake Szen - and for our first ever win over Tikariot in the WCQ. The game was certainly quick off the blocks as both teams were certainly hungry for the 3 points today. Prince Carter and Archer Andrews were certainly key playmakers for the Jaguars out there and they would combine for both goals in the first half, Carter scoring in the 23rd and Andrews in the 42nd to give the Jaguars an unlikely 2-0 lead heading into half time. Of course, Tikariot was never going to live that down and Xasthur Fredriksson got one back in the 66th to put the pressure on our shoulders...but online other days, we held on. It finished 2-1...the gap was still 7 points, but talk about a confidence-boosting win for a team who desperately needed one.

Then came a road trip over to Schima Bas and while the away trip has certainly been our weakness this season, this game was certainly a must-win and all previous momentum and form were thrown out of the window. We all know we needed this win and that was exactly what we did, as Carter and Andrews started us off in the 12th and 34th minutes, but the hosts did get one back to make it 2-1 to us at halftime. Then came the substitutes to help complete this big old win, with Jackson Smith-Scott and Yomakaji Shimigatsu both getting onto the board and while the host did get a consolation late on, it certainly wouldn't matter - this 4-2 win, combined with Bollonich losing Tikariot, meant that the gap is now down to 4 with 5 games to go. Remember, Bollonich will have to take their bye on the final day. Their final game? Hosting...us.

But in order to assure that MD21 could be the decider of all deciders, we have to keep up the pace and keep getting these points. The first trip to UAC is up next as we looked for revenge against Ziwana at the Estadio Universidad Carlandas, before we head out to an in-form Cardenao side in what could be a big game for both teams. We are down, but certainly not out...all we have to do is keep up the pace. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group 9)
MD1: vs Kyhun (310) - Salam Liljamie Stadium, Al Kalifa W 3-1 (T-2nd)
MD2: @Pasarga (15) - Stade de Torgos, somewhere in Pasarga L 0-3 (7th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD3: vs Barunia (55) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong W 4-1 (4th)
MD4: @Tikariot (40) - Citadel of the North, Fort Viljan L 2-3 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD5: vs Schima Bas (89) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo W 2-1 (4th)
MD6: @Ziwana (232) - Ziwanicell National Stadium, Birnin-Likulu L 1-2 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD7: vs Cardenao (277) - Tallawah Stadium, Port Town W 5-1 (4th)
MD8: @República Guanacasteca (137) W 4-3 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD9: BYE
MD10: vs Bollonich (85) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu L 1-3 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD11: @Muralos (117) L 1-2 (4th/5W-0D-5L/15pts/+3GD)
MD12: @Kyhun (310) W 5-1 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD13: vs Pasarga (15) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City L 0-2 (4th)
MD14: @Barunia (55) - Memorial Stadium, Edwardton, Marion D 1-1 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD15: vs Tikariot (40) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky W 2-1 (4th)
MD16: @Schima Bas (89) W 4-2 (4th)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD17: vs Ziwana (232) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas
MD18: @Cardenao (277)
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD19: vs República Guanacasteca (137) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville
MD20: BYE
-----------------Boot It!-----------------
MD21: @Bollonich (85)
MD22: vs Muralos (117) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico

by **Soldera** » Tue May 24, 2022 5:44 am

A team that wasn't expected to challenge for a World Cup berth can still feel disappointment at seeing their chances slip away.

That was the reality for Larry Carricker and the Solderan national football team as they approached the final six matches of World Cup 91 qualifying. Oh, don't get us wrong. The Snakes are still within striking distance of a position in the finals or even a potential playoff berth. They're still ahead of ancient powers Audioslavia on goal differential in third place in the Group 7 standings.

But the Snakes just lost a road match against The Sarian 2-1 after defeating Bendicion 3-1 at King Anthony Stadium in Branwen. The Sarian are in seventh place with 15 points, well behind Soldera's total of 28 points, so even though it was a road match, it felt like a lost opportunity to gain badly needed standings points.

And that wasn't even the worst result for Carricker. The Snakes also lost 3-1 to StrayaRoos on Matchday 14 in what Carricker lamented as "a fucking embarrassment."

"I've never seen this team play with so little heart, with so little passion," he fumed. And that was the stuff we can print. The Solderan locker room was closed for 45 minutes with several players reporting afterward that Carricker screamed, threw things and overturned a table with cups of sports drink in sheer, blinding rage. Even though he learned a few minutes later that it was StrayaRoos and not the last place colony of StrayaRoos, he still considered the loss an embarrassment.

A few days later, he still wasn't taking back his words or his actions.

"I said what I said, and it was what I meant," he said. "Mind you, StrayaRoos is still in contention for a trip to the World Cup, but we played that match completely without heart or passion. They beat us on seemingly every hustle play. I can accept losing when a team is better than us, but not when we can play better than we did and we just got beaten." Carricker also cited the home match before the disheartening loss to StrayaRoos, a goalless draw against Squidroidia at home as "discouraging."

"We desperately needed the full three [points for a victory]," Carricker said. "To lose that one, well, that's just devastating."

by **Acastanha** » Tue May 24, 2022 6:05 am

Teluk Ketam for Statehood

National Party of Teluk Ketam leader, Ahmad Hasyim Abdullah make a statement to push the central government about Teluk Ketam recognizition as one of Acastanha state. Teluk Ketam is the westernmost province in Acastanha which part of Palidas Republic. The province however is cut off from the rest of Palidas by Tabeira Province, part of Arra Republic. During their establishment after Arrakan War, Teluk Ketam was named Occidental Province. But the Malay-majority province demand a change to the name to reflect the province culture which is more connected to Kayangan, their west neighbor, than the rest of Acastanha. The change was formulated by an act by Palidas state government 7 years ago and the name of Teluk Ketam is selected. The capital of the province is also move from Praia de Emeritas to Bandar Ketam. Although Praia de Emeritas still becoming the province economic center and one of the country's main seaport.

Hasyim Abdullah mention that the province location that is cut off from the rest of Palidas and the differ culture makes the main reason that the local government to push for statehood. National Party of Teluk Ketam as the major political party in the province parliament is the main back up of the statehood plan.

Although we are a minority in this country but we are the third largest ethnicity. We are need to be recognized.

Ahmad Hasyim Abdullah

Palidas parliament spokesperson stated that the state are supporting the statehood plan and will help the province in the central parliament. The road to statehood is quite long. A referendum is need to held first in the province to see how the statehood plan is support by their citizens. Then an amendment is needed from the central parliament to change the state act. The a new bill is need to create about the change of status of Teluk Ketam from province to state. Then an amendment in the constitution is needed to place Teluk Ketam as one of the state of Acastanha.

Historically, Teluk Ketam was a separate kingdom then the rest of Acastanha. When the Portuguese established Porto Espinhosa as their trade post in the area, Teluk Ketam was engaged with the trade with them. Portuguese influence grew and then Praia do Emeritas is established as Portuguese third trade post (the second one is Cabo do Sol which located in Sol Province in eastern Acastanha). The northern part of the kingdom was then given to Portuguese before the whole area was later annexed by Portuguese just like the other kingdoms in the area (except Arrakan Kingdom).

When the Portuguese started the talks about the independent of the area, Teluk Ketam asked to be separated from the rest of Acastanha. But the Portuguese government made another planned and merge Teluk Ketam with Acastanha. The Arrakan War greatly affected the province. As a minority, Teluk Ketam citizens and government was helping the Arrakan people for an equal position between indigenous people and mixed Portuguese people who rule the country at the time. However, Teluk Ketam in the end is included in Palidas Republic instead becoming its own state. Because of this historical fact, Teluk Ketam government which is now lead by National Party of Teluk Ketam is now push for statehood.

by **Eraman** » Tue May 24, 2022 6:41 am

Last-minute preparations are in full swing in Daulapura in conjunction with the AMAN Leaders Meeting which will take place soon. A new gate with the large inscription “Welcome AMAN Delegates” was built at the entrance to Daulapura. Potholed roads were re-paved. Lampposts along the road are decorated with the flags of the Melayu Archipelago countries.The police and security are also prepared to ensure that the meeting will be held smoothly without any untoward incidents. Eraman's intelligence found no threats to worry about but the police's thorough preparations were still carried out as a precautionary measure.

The delegates will arrive at Anara International Airport, located 35km from Daulapura. From Anara International Airport, the delegates will be taken on a 30 minutes ride straight to the Daulapura Palace. AMAN Leaders Meeting will begin on the eve of the 18th Matchday of the 91st World Cup qualifiers with a gala dinner at the Daulapura Palace which will also be attended by the Maharaja of Eraman, Maharaja Nila Petara. The official residence of the Eramanian royal family which contains 2000 rooms will also be the official residence of all delegates from the Melayu Archipelago countries during the event.

The opening ceremony of the AMAN Leaders Meeting will be held the next day at 9 am at the Daulapura International Convention Center which is just next to the Daulapura Palace. The closing ceremony is expected to be held a day later at 9 pm. Among the issues expected to be discussed are the proposal to change the region's name, the bombing incident in Cakranegara, and the separatist movement in Sendhang and Acastanha.

by **United Adaikes** » Tue May 24, 2022 7:01 am

Latona Basilisk's late penalty earned Nephara a draw away from United Adaikes and preserved their top place in the standings of Group 2 of the World Cup 91 Qualifiers.

FW Collin Maddox's bicycle kick opened the scoring for United Adaikes after MF Charmaine Maldonado's deflected header fell kindly.

Injuries forced the Panthers to make three substitutions as GK Abby Kidd was a spectator for much of the game.

But Basilisk leveled after being fouled in the box with four minutes to play.

The 32-year-old's hard running was the brightest feature of Nephara's display, and he tricked United Adaikes DF Lorraine Kennard into scything him down with some neat footwork.

The result means Elaine Koeller remains at the top of Group 2, while Dylan Burke's United Adaikes remains at 4th place even with two other nations having the same number of points. Adaikesians are leading due to a higher goal difference between the other two.

"We were still dominant for long periods," UAD NT head coach Dylan Burke answered a question from the press during the post-match interview, "but I think the injuries - though minor - were vital in the game, particularly in our ability to change tactically. Also, it's not nice when you see your teammates going off injured.

"They all look pretty bad in the field, but good news came from the trainers after their assessment and said that it was all minor and that they can return to play in the next matches.

"I think we've had a decent enough start in terms of performances. I'm a bit disappointed not to have got more points. We could have got all three points today, but sometimes you have to be grateful for taking a point in a match."

New Thraproy Sports Complex Main Stadium (Attendance: 70, 000)
United Adaikes 1 - 1 Nephara
Collin Maddox (24') - FT - Latona Basilisk (86'p)
HT 1-0

Lola Katona scored the only goal for The Gothanita Isles as the hosts returned the favor when they lost visiting the United Adaikes in the first round.

Panthers GK Abby Kidd could not collect Vladan Bloxam's cross under pressure from Katona, who poked in the winner from close range.

The visitors had the best chance of a goalless first half, with Celsus Becket tipping over a UAD DF Van Burgess header.

United Adaikes fell to sixth, in the middle of the other two teams with the same number of points as the Panthers, with Pluvia and the Saxean Isles leading over them with a positive goal difference.

The visitors could not seriously test Becket again in a game low on quality.

Dylan Burke's side started well in The Gothanita Isles and could have gone ahead with any one of three chances that came their way during a 60-second spell early in the first half.

MF Charmain Maldonado and FW Kolton Dale had shots blocked by Yellow Lions defenders, and from the resulting corner, Becket made a superb reflex save to deny Burgess a goal.

Burgess and fellow full-back Elaina Braddock got forward well in support of MF Cameron Ross, FW Collin Maddox and Dale. At the same time, the hosts barely breached United Adaikes' center-back pairing of Peter Knight and Lorainne Kennard.

Kidd was adamant Katona had fouled her as they challenged for Bloxam's cross, and there were also claims of handball against The Gothanita Isles striker. Still, the referee allowed the goal - the 32nd United Adaikes have conceded in 15 matches this Qualifiers.

In the post-match interview, Burke did not hold back. "We have had a point taken away from us today which wasn't our fault. In our position, that's a hugely precious point, even at this stage of the season."

The Gothanita isles (Attendance: TBA)
The Gothanita isles 1 - 0 United Adaikes
Lola Katona (54')
HT 0-0

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Tue May 24, 2022 7:37 am

Are we completely out of the WC Qualification picture? Ehkäpä, but no one was really showing it at Huuhkajat. For them, the goal has always been the same...to continue the development of football in Kimi-Suomi, no matter the tournament or the prize at the end. That is the goal that Esko Laaksonen and the rest of Kimin Armeija signed up for when we first decided to enter the WC as a nation, and that is the goal we all keep striving toward no matter what. Vielä kaksi peliä, katsotaan mihin noppaa putosivat.

Up first was Al Qurija at Petro Mohammed Stadium and this game would certainly feel like a defensive battle. Laaksonen and Pau Porras have highly attacking units here, but both sides struggled to get anything done for much of this contest as the defence played a part. The only real difference here was that the Qurijano was all attack, +5, while we were neutral. This meant that we had both offence and defence playing equal roles and that would be to our benefit in the end, a 61st-minute goal from Tero Salo sealing 3 points for us.

As for HUElavia at Pesä? Vittu kaikki tapahtui. En vitsaile. We don't usually see 0-0 draws in WCQ, but this game was certainly one of them...maybe one of the most painful to watch I've ever seen. Sure, both teams had chances here but apart from that, it was just...a 0-0 draw. That was that. The gap to 3rd is 6 points with 6 games to play.

Suolahevonen [Saltstead] on the road, Pemecutan at home - certainly a tough double coming up. But no matter the final scores, Kimi-Suomi will fight for every last point. Se on viime kädessä Suomen tapa. NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

by **Nephara** » Tue May 24, 2022 8:49 am

Yuezhou 1 - 4 Nephara
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Provost; 2 - Schrader (17 - Meadows 75'), 5 - Clevinger, 6 - Scales, 3 - Lind; 4 - Constantine (19 - Southsea 84'), 8 - March; 13 - Reed (7 - Anharbour 75'), 23 - Kvasina, 11 - Marinca; 10 - Harper
Goals: Marinca 31', Harper 45+1', March 50', Marinca 58'

Nephara 4 - 0 Tjorl
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Provost; 17 - Meadows, 5 - Clevinger, 6 - Scales, 3 - Lind (22 - Levering 64'); 19 - Southsea, 8 - March (15 - Ulmer 77'); 7 - Anharbour, 23 - Kvasina, 11 - Marinca; 10 - Harper (9 - Kurtishi 70')
Goals: Anharbour 11', Harper 26', Kvasina 40', Kurtishi 87'

United Adaikes 1 - 1 Nephara
(4-2-3-1 / 4-4-2) 1 - Provost; 2 - Schrader, 5 - Clevinger, 6 - Scales, 3 - Lind; 4 - Constantine (19 - Southsea 71'), 15 - Ulmer; 13 - Reed (7 - Anharbour 84'), 23 - Kvasina (21 - Basilisk 75'), 11 - Marinca; 10 - Harper
Goal: Basilisk 82' pen

Nephara 5 - 3 Kamisato Ayaka Nation
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Provost; 2 - Schrader, 18 - Copperhead, 6 - Scales, 3 - Lind; 19 - Southsea, 8 - March; 13 - Reed, 23 - Kvasina (14 - Laskaris 62'), 11 - Marinca (16 - Crowcombe 82'); 10 - Harper (9 - Kurtishi 76')
Goals: Schrader 13', Harper 19', Reed 34', Southsea 52', Laskaris 77'

MILITARY STREAMLINING - PRELIMINARY REPORT
Dealing with the challenges presenting by the latest budget
Aggregated by Catheline Gligor

BACKGROUND
The current Progressive Democrat government - shorthanded to 'Corvistone' - has made no secret of its desire to downsize military budget while simultaneously agreeing with the conclusions most reached after the Kitara war, that certain parts of Nepharan logistics were not up to the expectations of a regional power. The objective is to better prepare Nephara for deployment in its sphere of influence, while ascertaining where costs could be cut or assets stripped.

This report is the aggregation of a number of other, more in-depth reports made on individual branches of the military, and for more details, erading those reports is recommended. Nephara's main in-house contractors, Redruth, Ebonhawke and civilian manufacturer Ajax, remain financially stable and able to continue supplying.

INFANTRY
Nepharan infantry proved extremely effective on the ground in Nyowani Kitara, consistently and comfortably outperforming rival forces with or without true combined arms support. The doctrine of well-armed, well-protected, well-drilled and self-sufficient forces served Nephara well, in a war where presence on the ground was a pivotal factor in delivering the KPWC the decisive advantage.

The main small arm of choice, the in-house InBaRi 47, continues to be a top-line weapons system in the modern era. Its rate of fire is lower than almost any peer, but for accuracy, reliability, efficiency and versatility it is nearly matchless. The main complaint in the field was its weight, which has been raised with Redruth; however, speculation before the war that a deal may need to be made with a manufacturer like Lentech appears unfounded. Other weapons systems were either fit for purpose or above-average. Nephara's special forces stood up well to the challenges presented it, though matching the likes of Euran equivalents is likely forever out of reach.

Maintaining this level of performance is a high priority, but it is not a priority for accelerated expansion. This is the wing of our armed forces most in need of being left to tick over.

GROUND VEHICLES
Likely Nephara's area of greatest bloat, and the inquest that came closest to recommending budgetary cuts. At the bare minimum it appears that there must be a shifting of resources. The main issue flagged by most is that Nephara's fleet of heavy ground vehicles reflects a now-distant past wary of Eura, Electrum and other very close former rivals; however, our rivals are now our friends, and Sameba has been subdued. In the Endemian War, many old destroyed vehicles were not replaced, but many remained, and during the events in Pavola they simply gathered dust. There is no need to sell off newer vehicles, such as the Cataphract-line of battle tank, but we should be open to selling them to allies. Older platforms such as the Rook-line should be sold as a high priority.

Characteristically, support vehicles were somewhat neglected, and did not stand up well to modern arms. By and large they were reasonably sturdy vehicles that cleared ground well, but their propensity to explode could be punished by a better-resourced opponent. Historically, anything with a gun strapped to it has been given too much attention;

NAVY
Nephara's area of greatest strength, the navy has more than pulled its substantial weight of late. It was over the sea that Nephara arguably made its most decisive contribution in the defeat of Sameba, and it occupies an enviable and vital point in southern Terranea. That said, planned updates to aging ships may have to be pushed back. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, but remaining as far ahead of most peers as we have been may need to be sacrificed in the interests of becoming a more rounded regional power. Still, nothing ought be sold, and our strength means that we can afford to sit on our heels for a time, in this area.

AIR FORCE
It is an open secret that Nephara's air force is weak compared to peer competitors. We required massive logistical support to adequately aid Eura on the ground against Sameba, and while some lessons were learned, not enough changes were made; again, serious Euran intervention was required to intervene in Nyowani Kitara. The warning signs were always there and we cannot afford to be caught out a third time.

Nephara's air force is not appallingly deprecated, but against most competitor nations, it would struggle to hold its own in the air. Our pilots are well-trained, but the planes - of all kinds - are old and few in number. The next budgetary surge, should it ever arise, should look into this; our lobbyists should push for this, and for looking into drone capabilities that are presently far beyond us. Right now, though, priorities A, B and C are logistics and supply.

It is not an imaginative solution, but while Bastion continues to look for marginal gains, the best solution for Corvistone may be to look for Euran discards that would be hugely influential bolstering our air fleet.

CONCLUSION
The fact is that we are overstocked with firepower on the ground and undersupplied with means of actually getting them anywhere, and after a punishing war, the prevailing mood means that we cannot make these necessary iterations without sacrifices. For a time we will need to focus on simply maintaining our current ground and naval capacity, and looking into making use of what assets we have, be it proactively seeking arms deals or simply selling off surplus tanks. We remain in a strong state, yet too reliant on others' goodwill to be comfortable; we must use this strict budget as an opportunity to re-prioritise and streamline, as on the global battlefield, to stand still is to fall behind.

NEPHARAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 9
Goalkeepers: 1 - Aranea Provost (Spartangrad, EUR), 12 - Medusa Strand (Chromatik, CMT), 20 - Tanith Arrowsmith (Dynamo Sjoedrhavn, SVJ)
Defenders: 2 - Ophelia Schrader (AFC Treason), 3 - Radeka Lind (Jinja City FC, BNJ), 5 - Reniira Clevinger (Herzegovina City FC, BNJ), 6 - Anaximander Scales (Brinemouth), 17 - Tosca Meadows (Brinemouth), 18 - Sven Copperhead (Crisisbless), 22 - Kyri Levering (Aries Chariots)
Midfielders: 4 - Demeter Constantine (Crisisbless), 7 - Tambra Matalin (Revolutionaries, EUR), 8 - Renate March (Herzegovina City FC, BNJ), 11 - Lili Marinca (Chromatik, CMT), 13 - Severine Reed (Raynor City United, VAL), 14 - Thalassa Fletcher (La Nueva Avenida, FFD), 15 - Tamara Ulmer (Algolia SC, SRS), 16 - Ana Crowcombe (Avenida Leal, FFD), 19 - Cassander Southsea (Brinemouth), 23 - Lindse Kvasina (Istria City FC, BNJ)
Forwards: 9 - Davor Kurtishi (AFC Corvistone), 10 - Bravura Harper (Ulsa, EUR), 21 - Latona Basilisk (Mâ Âlâmëómë, FFD)

North and South Vietnam 0 - 2 Nephara
Nephara 2 - 0 Yuezhou @ Farham Arena, Sabrefell
Tjorl 3 - 3 Nephara
Nephara 3 - 2 United Adaikes @ Eagle's Club, Brinemouth
Kamisato Ayaka Nation 4 - 4 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 3 Valentine Z @ Godswatch, Crisisbless
Mercedini 0 - 1 Nephara
BYE
Nephara 1 - 0 The Gothanita Isles
Oberour Ar Moro 0 - 4 Nephara
Nephara 6 - 2 Pluvia and the Saxean Isles
Nephara 1 - 0 North and South Vietnam
Yuezhou 1 - 4 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 0 Tjorl
United Adaikes 1 - 1 Nephara
Nephara 5 - 3 Kamisato Ayaka Nation
Valentine Z vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Mercedini
BYE
The Gothanita Isles vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Oberour Ar Moro
Pluvia and the Saxean Isles vs. Nephara

by **Valanora** » Tue May 24, 2022 10:51 am

Revenge is said to be a dish best served cold and that it is quite sweet once it comes to fruition. Following that logic, it seems as if revenge should be a bowl of ice cream, to be slowly savored from time to time when you are like enough to sample it. It should be held briefly and not in an overt amount, lest it then set to ruin you from over consumption of its sweetness. In the same way that too much sweets can rot away your teeth, gorging yourself on revenge plot after revenge plot seems a surefire way that one can ruin their morality, slowly losing whatever upstanding presence they might have had originally over time with the constant need for revenge. The thrust to make things right in one's opinion must be tempered with compassion and logic, or else be swept away in a tide of negativity that can become like quicksand.

Vanorians are not often known to focus on things like petty revenge, perhaps as a result of the long term view of the elves who founded the Empire. When one has a lifespan that's spans millennia, it would stand to reason that the minutia of the day to day affairs of existing would not bother one as much when compared to beings with a shorter lifespan. You will very rarely, if ever, hear an athlete or coach of Vanorian upbringing speak about looking to get revenge on an opposing athlete, team, or coach. Rather more often they will speak about personal growth and how they could have done things better to get the result that they wanted. There is a certain level of professionalism and sportsmanship that has come to be synonymous with thr Vanorian athlete or coach, a reputation that has been centuries in the making.

However, time to time when the occasion calls for it, there will undeniably be an extra level of effort put into a fixture to ensure that revenge can be dolled out. It may come after a particularly humiliating or unexpected outcome or against a foe that seems to revel in causing pain and misery. The most common of these sorts of occurences with the national football team have come against Starblaydia and Audioslavia, the former as a resultnof the competitive rivalry the two sides have had in the pursuit of being the best ever team to play the game. The latter as a result playing the game that is a very distasteful way to play the sport, with recent matches against Ko-oren also an example with their tactics and antics bringing the game itself into disrepute. These games are not your normal Marauders fixture and the results have been a mixed bag.

That all comes to a spearhead in this qualifying campaign as the team travels to Hapilopper knowing a result will go a long ways towards attempting to win the group. Their foe went into Capri and played a very ugly sort of game and seemed quite intent on trying to insure the Marauders as well as winning the game. There was malice in nearly every tackle and vulgarity spewed forth from their players and fans that was quite unlike what Vanorian teams and spectators are accustomed to. In a desire to try and win the match, Hapilopper had lowered themselves to a despicable level and the worst part was that it had worked, getting them an unexpected victory in the Eternal Empire. The Marauders now need to return the favor with a win away from the Vanorian heartland, as a loss would all but confirm that the side will be fighting in the playoffs. If there was a match where revenge could be on the table, this would be it, a match where they could hopefully show Hapilopper the error of their ways and take the group lead with them in the same stride.

by **Pasarga** » Tue May 24, 2022 11:36 am

The proceedings were going as expected, there had been a number of foreign heads of states and other Monarchs expressing their condolences for the passing of King Jakob. A handful had made it known that they would be attending the service, a few more sending representatives in their stead, and others who had only words to give. It was as much as anyone in the dual islands could have expected, especially with the inflammatory article in the Torgos Tribune that was already showing the cracks in the foundations of the Dual Islsnds. This left Azra and İskender unexpectedly at odds, and their mother trying to keep things together.

"Brother, why do you threaten me so, why do you side with men who clearly only want to use your claim as a way to weaken our great nation? These are not your friends who are urging you to press your claim to the throne, but upstarts who want to see the power of the monarchy weakened. Surely you must see that!" Azra spat at her younger brother, as the two had met to try and resolve the dispute before the funeral.

"How would me pressing my claim weaken Pasarga, sister? I have as much right to the throne as you do, more so in fact as I am the male child! Our people.deserve a strong King and I can be that king, that's why the parliamentarians want me to be crowned as the next monarch and not you."

"Listen to yourself brother, you are espewing things that are not true in the slightest. You think you are the first preference due to being a son and me a daughter? Have you forgotten that Pasarga has always treated its male and female heirs equally, the throne having always passed to the oldest child or their oldest child if they died before taking the throne. There is your evidence brother, these men are using you for their own agenda."

İskender shook his head in disgust, he could hardly believe that his sister would refute his claim to the throne. "The parliament has made their desire clear, they want me to be crowned king, not you sister. I am sorry that you are having a problem with your pride, but I am meant to rule."

"My pride? You know nothing about my pride little brother, for if you did, you would not be pursuing a course of action that could send Pasarga into disarray. That parliament that you are so fond of, who appear loyal to you, are the same people who claimed to be loyal to father and yet are disregarding his will. The same people who would not have even had any power had father not instituted a parliament so the people could have more voice in their government. It was never meant to replace the rule of the monarch, yet these people would use your claim to cause chaos to strip away all the rights of rulership from the monarch. You are being used babybrother, a tool to divide us even more, as distant relations now consider their own claim as a result of the chaos."

"They have no claim, we are the blood of Takilian the First through mother, they can not say the same. They come from a different branch of the tree."

"And father was adopted into the family by Julia, yet he was made king before a blood relative was. There are some who would say that we do not have a true claim to the throne, it is our cousins, even if we have the royal blood through mother. This is the chaos that your friends would bring to our nation, all in pursuit of their own power. Yet if it comes to conflict, there could be but rubble left to lord over, such is the nature of war and chaos."

İskender found it difficult to believe what his sister was saying, that their cousins could try and spur a revolt or those who wanted him to be crowned. Yet he could.not deny that what she was saying did make sense, he hated that it did though. "How would you resolve this then, since you seem to have it all figured out?"

For the first time in the entire conversation Azra actually paused and looked slightly worried. "I am.afraid that there might be things in motion that can no longer be stopped. Had you not taken the bait of parliament, I had a solution to the situation but the time has passed that and now we have to wait and see what transpires. I fear that we may be getting to know conflict a little too well, violence seems to be flying through the winds of Rushmore right now. Hope that it is just a passing breeze and not a warning of an oncoming storm."

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Tue May 24, 2022 11:36 am

RekanSport
Legend Promises Football Comeback
By Sebastian Umlauf

From the local parks, to the largest stadiums in the world, and everything between. One man has played all across Zeta Reka's footballing ladder, and he's coming back. Želmir Kolarowić, the title winner and international midfielder has announced a comeback to football. Where he goes is a mystery, and fans await Želmir's next maneuver.

Kid Years to Kven
Growing up in the southern neighborhoods on Porto Nowi, Želmir loved sports. Želmir was the first of three brothers, one of whom passed away before Želmir turned pro. All three had an interest in pro spots. At age twelve Želmir signed his first contract for a wage with Uprawa Centralizaciju. Two years on, Želmir would score in the Rekadom U-14 Trophy semi-final against FK Ofau, his next club. While UCFC played senior side played ball in Zonal Leagues, Ofau were solidly in the top two divisions of the Rekan game. Senior appearances in Division 1 came at age twenty and twenty one, but were sporadic. When the junior leagues were kinder for Želmir as he was Ofau's top assist maker. After a great run, Ofau's coach Otto Golwawić had no interest in the youngster, instead buying older midfield talent. DD Porto Nowi wanted a young and able midfielder after losing one starter to an injury related retirement.

Two seasons followed where Želmir would play with his future lifelong friends Mullow Dorboslwić and Rybki. DD Porto Nowi would lose to cross town rivals AK Stanimir three times in five matches, including a cup semi-final in the second year. With four titles before Želmir's arrival, and two after his exit. Sportswriters in the country were harsh against the unproven player. Želmir was also mocked for signing with a small village team in Kven. It would be Kven's new captain who would get the last laugh. Kven the title in Želmir's third and forth seasons with the club. The first trophy came after two layers of tiebreakers against DD Porto Nowi. The second was a bigger shock, and lead to Želmir playing in the IFCF Champions League twice. Kven would fail to defend the title, but was in the third Challengers Cup's group stage. Kven could have finished, second, but dropped a game to the eventual runners up and thus finished six points behind.

Eventually the run in Kven saw a return to DD Porto Nowi, where locker room politics and form issues saw Želmir make no appearances for the first team. Few words have been expressed about the conflict between player and staff. A second poor run in Zeta Reka's biggest city was a nadir for Želmir. Lacking club or country play, Želmir mulled over retirement. Instead the top midfielder would be sold off to Bergsieger, where Želmir would win the league's Exceptional Merit Award. A great comeback caused to receive offers from many clubs, and he picked a return to Kven. The thirty four year old would play in a dozen gamesć. Kolarowić would retire from play before the eighty third season of football and spend time with his wife, his two daughters, and newborn son Todor.

Around the World
Good success over the years allow Želmir to reunite with his DD Porto Nowi buddies in the Baptism of Fire, where they'd finish in second. Želmir played game after game for the side as a first choice attacking midfielder. Kolarowić would retire with over one hundred, over thirty goals, and over twenty assists. His spot on the team has not found a full time replacement since his retirement five years ago. “I loved my time with the team,” he told RekanSport six months ago in an interview about the captains of Zeta Reka “My only regret was that we couldn't make it into the World Cup. I hope the kids can do it for me.”

Želmir was given an offer to coach the under eighteen team, but declined, believing himself to not be a coach. In addition, Želmir denied an offer to work with Capital Cove for a wage higher than his first Kven FK contract. In the RekanSport interview, Kolarowić spoke of the playing for Zeta Reka again after he was asked. The answer Želmir gave? “Not a chance,” he said, and said nothing else. Recently, Želmir has dismissed claims or trying to return to the side. “The book is closed,” the former top capped and former highest scoring player said on social media, “The young guns will make it.”

What's Next?
“I am excited to play again with the big guns,” Kolarowić told hosts in an interview on the sport focused channel “World's Games.” A new player in the broadcasting scene in Zeta Reka, the Kolarowić interview was the highest rated segment in the channel's history. Želmir is making waves again, and wants, “One more run.” The former national team leader gave no hints of where he'd play. Former teammate Emil Obst is the assistant coach of third tier outfit Bauernhaus Okrug. Another option is to play for Bergsteiger FK, who's publicly expressed interest in the former NT captain. Former teammate and title winner Kenijal Maximow also publicly offered to give Želmir a spot on the team he coaches. Said team is a semi-pro side in Ogrovven's Zonal League. An enticing option could be to play abroad, which Želmir hasn't done before, and the foreign markets could find use for a National Team captain from times past.

In the trophy winning superstar's words, “I'm open to everything.” Fans too are open, and curious about the future.

RekanSport Top 6:
World Cup 91; Game In Hand, Playoffs In Sight, Optimism Returning Special Free Article
Kožalopta Scores; LIVE Special Free Article
FLF Qualifying, Transfer Window Updates Special Free Article
Legend Promises Football Comeback
Zeta Reka To Submit CE 33 Bid
Fast Food Has Slowly Taken Over Basketball
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by **Valentine Z** » Tue May 24, 2022 11:38 am

Part 7 – Tied-up Ball of Yarn.

The Valentian Kittens were ready to face the Mercedini team, about to be giving it all. They know that they were not going to get out of this with a win, not at this level and the current state of things. The Mercedini has much more experience and records compared to the Kittens, just like with the Nephara team that they would be facing the following day. Still, it was a relief to know that some things have not changed. Last time, it was a 3–3. This time, the Valentians did it again with a 1–1. Eveline let her guard down, allowing a goal to be scored against the Valentians. However, that goal would have been the very last one that the Valentians would allow to happen, since the rest of the match’s defences were impenetrable. The Mercedini also put up a challenge of their own, only letting Holly score a single goal, and the rest of the match’s attempts ended up getting blocked. “The draw is the thing we need,” Markus remarked to the Kittens as they were being debriefed, “You guys did great, they were quite a hefty challenge from what I have heard and asked around. So, yeah, all the best with The Cormorants tomorrow! We will need it.”

by **Chromatika** » Tue May 24, 2022 12:04 pm

Matchday 11: Chromatika 3-1 Al Qurija @ United Center, Urrheddiao, Urrhed Island, Chromatika (Cap. 120,000; 28,000 Seats)
Goals: Fillar, B. '13, Gainsbourg '28, Wen '71
Starting XI: (4-1-4-1) - Fillar, J.; Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Ingram -> Anbient ('52), Aimée -> Ighv ('68), Phoen -> Hauser ('80)
MVP for Chromatika: RW Wen Xhose
Summary: A rudimentary win to round out the first half as Chromatika scores twice in the first half and doesn't look back. They'll have ample chances to make a run on Pemecutan in the second half, but their home form is something to marvel at so far. Bailaire Fillar shows her stuff, as well as Wen Xhose, whose second cycle among the Starting XI hopes to be better than the first.
Matchday 12: Chromatika 3-3 HUElavia @ The Tidal Wave, Tihon, Urrhed Island, Chromatika (Cap. 95,210; 25,000 Seats)
Goals: Kuznetsov '26, Gainsbourg '30, Hauser '68
Starting XI: (4-1-4-1) - Fillar, J.; Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: De St. Pierre -> Fillar, G. ('66), Kreutzberg -> Wen ('72), Larriet-Cortes -> Zuniga ('81)
MVP for Chromatika: LW Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov
Summary: A disappointing result as the Chromatiks are not able to secure on a full win over the third seeds HUElavia, as the series overall ends in two dismal draws. Though VMK had his best game of the qualifying campaign - two assists and a goal - Juxon Fillar wasn't able to field two loose balls cleanly, and the HUElavians jumped on the chances. Well done by them.
Matchday 13: Saltstead 3-3 Chromatika
Goals: Gainsbourg '9, Fillar, E. '75, '81
Starting XI: (4-1-4-1) - Fillar, J.; Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Si -> Fillar, B. ('60), Fillar, E. -> Kuznetsov ('71), Toussaint -> Gainsbourg ('75)
MVP for Chromatika: LW Edith Fillar
Summary: Edith Fillar to the rescue once again as the wonder teenager comes through in the final fifteen minutes to salvage a point for the Chromatiks in Saltstead. She knifed through the defense for a header and then followed it up with a volley from range. Is there anything she can't do?
Matchday 14: Chromatika 1-1 Pemecutan @ The Capitalizt Dome, Chromia, Capital District, Chromatika (Cap. 144,000)
Goals: Kuznetsov '19
Starting XI: (4-1-4-1) - Fillar, J.; Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Ken -> Anbient ('66), Larriet-Cortes -> Fillar, B. ('72), Kruetzberg -> Wen ('78)
MVP For Chromatika: GK Juxon Fillar
Summary: After scoring off of a VMK volley in the first twenty minutes, Chromatika pinned their ears back and lasted the full ninety minutes to get the key point against Pemecutan. The Chromatiks remain within a chance of catching the Pemecutans, though it remains very unlikely, while Juxon Fillar continues to prove why he's the #1 keeper in the country.
Matchday 15: Raspotochje 0-1 Chromatika
Goal: Phoen '75
Starting XI: (4-2-3-1) - Begley (C); De Saint-Pierre - Régine - Ansov - Aimée; Larriet-Cortes - Si; Kruetzberg - Phoen - Fillar, E.; Killian.
Substitutes: Vitan -> De Saint-Pierre ('52), Ken -> Régine ('71), Baum -> Kruetzberg ('80)
MVP For Chromatika: AM Alissar Pheon
Summary: It should've been a more routine win, but Chromatika couldn't get past Raspotochje's defenses save the one free kick from some range as the team struggled to put away the lower ranked side. With one swing of his left foot, though? Chromatika had the three points, and that was what really mattered.
Matchday 16: Chromatika 1-1 Thibaea @ Frozen Stadium, Felswyr, Mountain District, Chromatika (Cap. 32,100; 32,100 Seats)
Goal: Kruetzberg '71
Starting XI: (4-2-3-1) - Begley (C); De Saint-Pierre - Régine - Ansov - Aimée; Larriet-Cortes - Si; Kruetzberg - Phoen - Fillar, E.; Killian.
Substitutes: Guess -> Aimée ('58), Armageddon -> Si ('72), Toussaint -> Killian ('79)
MVP For Chromatika: RW Emilie Kruetzberg
Summary: The first truly disastrous result of this campaign, Chromatika dropped two points to unranked Thibaea in front of a sold out crowd at the Frozen Stadium, Emilie Kruetzberg helping out an abysmal offense that ground to a halt. The Chromatiks gave Pemecutan two points back after drawing back to within three, and likely will be hard pressed to catch them now, especially with their bye coming up and Pemecutan's not until the very end.
Matchday 17 BYE and Matchday 18 @ Saterun
Predicted Starting XI: (4-2-3-1) - Enax; Vitan - Ansoll - Nodis - Guess (C); Ju - Apt; Baum - Laurette - Damani; Oveni.
Reserves: GK Kathie Begley, GK Laurée Bautista, RB Victoire De Saint-Pierre, CB Damon Ingram, CB Gles Ken, LB Ipati Aimée, RW Emilie Kruetzberg, DM Leysa Burns, AM Alissar Pheon, AM Baillaire Fillar, LW Miranda Andersen, ST Paskal Toussaint.

by **Flavovespia** » Tue May 24, 2022 12:28 pm

Flavovespia 2 - 1 Starblaydia

In a game of high tension and high drama, Flavovespia held their nerve despite some tense moments, to record a famous victory over Starblaydia. Dreams of qualification, or at the very least reaching the playoff, seem very much alive after this result.

Flavovespia didn’t make the start they wanted however. In the 11th minute, Asimodeo Fiola got behind the defence, before a square ball across goal to Joe Mason, who smashed home the opener from close range. The question for Flavovespia was, whether they could reply soon. The answer came in just 6 minutes, when in similar style, Michael Cole played in Adrian Jones to score the equalising goal. 1-1 after 17 minutes, and this game was shaping up well.

With half-time looming, it was set to be a 1-1 draw at the break, until Jonathan Bagshaw’s pinpoint floated cross found Adrian Jones. Jones rose above Tassidis, and his looping header beat Cristaldo Sarro and landed in the goal. Flavovespia had taken the lead with only a few minutes of the first half to go.

The second half gradually turned into one of Starblaydia attacking, but Flavovespia swatting them away, but not doing much in attack. It seemed to be working, but in the 83rd minute, Asimodeo Fiola once again seemed clear through on goal. David Blythe, on as a substitute, brought him down, and unfortunately that denial of clear goalscoring opportunity meant his time in the game was shorter than expected, he was off. The 10 men of Flavovespia really had their work cut out to defend the lead, but defend it to the end they did, for a famous 3 points.

With 6 games left, Flavovespia move to 3rd, a playoff spot in the group, and tantalisingly close to leaders Turori, who have a bye in the next Matchday. Unbeaten in 8 games, Flavovespia have a real shot at the playoffs on this form.

Savojarna 0 - 0 Flavovespia

2 points lost or 1 point gained will be the debate after this game. Savojarna had a few more chances on target, and of higher quality than Flavovespia, but neither side could break the deadlock in a game that can’t be described as a classic.

An early goal was conceded against Starblaydia, and Flavovespia nearly did the same again, with Aarif Muhammad forced into a fine save to stop Sven Ehlers. Sven Ehlers would nearly set up Mikhail Jashkin, but a heavy first touch allowed David Lyons to slide in and clear the ball away. At the other end, chances were a bit limited, but Kieron Player nearly found the net from long range, following a bit of a messed up clearance from a free kick. Nevertheless, no goals went in after 45 minutes.

The second half started with some quick play from both sides, and it had the feel of a game that could easily have some goals in it, with the first one being key. Jonathan Bagshaw probably came closest for Flavovespia, his powerful effort just before the hour mark just the wrong side of the post as it smashed into the side of the net. However as the minutes ticked towards 90, the game lost some of its energy. That was hampered by a few stoppages and substitutions caused by minor knocks, thankfully none serious to require players to miss the next game for Flavovespia.

A thumping 5-0 win by Juvencus against The 14 Stars takes them from 4th to 1st, and Flavovespia drop outside the playoffs. Juvencus lead on 32, Turori and Wreckeria have 31 and Flavovespia have 30. With the next game against Turori before a bye, it’s not just the 9 game unbeaten streak on the line, but potentially the chances of playoffs altogether with the current form of the Top 4.

Flavovespia’s Obscure Eleven: Charles Winward (CM)

Another one of the players who made the early squads before fading away, Charles Winward joins Nigel Humphries in centre midfield in the Obscure Eleven. Both were for a time club teammates, and Charles Winward also had spells on the left midfield as well, but central defensive midfielder was the position he ultimately played in the most.

20AU was when Charles Winward first began playing in the Super League, a 18 year old in the Butterfield Rovers squad. The early 20sAU were something of a halcyon era for Butterfield Rovers, and the young midfielder grew into being an important part of that. He was then signed at the start of 26AU by Stanmorn, a side on the ascendancy. The move proved worthwhile, as under Richard Crawford, Stanmorn became Super League champions for the first (and only) time in their history, and for Charles Winward, it earned him a call up to the first Flavovespian national side at the age of 25.

Despite playing as a left midfielder and a central defensive midfielder at club level, he unusually made his debut as a left wing back, in place of Ronald Maddox. The 1-1 draw in Dreamplanet was a relatively mediocre start for Winward, especially as Dreamplanet should’ve won with an open goal in injury time. A 2-2 draw at home to Freeport confirmed Charles Winward was not a natural at wing back. Charles Winward would still be subbed on there, when Ronald Maddox started to be fatigued against Ko-oren, but nearly gave away a goal in a 0-1 loss. Charles Winward would make one substitute appearance in the 0 points Cup of Harmony 75 campaign, and 4 in the AOCAF Cup 59, but was unable to find a position to establish himself in, with the likes of Jonathan Feld, Ronald Maddox, and club teammate James King keeping him out of the squad.

The 30 man squad for World Cup Qualifiers 85 gave Charles Winward, now 27, a second chance at establishing himself for Flavovespia. He would only make 5 appearances however, 3 of which came as substitutes with little impact, and the other 2 in losses at The Appraisal To The Allmighty MR TAYTO and at home to Sylestone. A late substitute appearance in West Pocono was his final cap for Flavovespia, and he didn’t make the Cup of Harmony 77 squad.

Charles Winward remained a club icon at Stanmorn, even if the side never achieved the same level of success. The #7 of Winward could end up all over the place in terms of position, but his utility and hard work rate made him a popular figure. When relegation struck in 36AU, Winward didn’t look for a way out, and became one of the bigger names to play in the Challenge League for Stanmorn, a move that earned him even more credibility with his side. Despite his hard work and ethic, there was never much of a sense, outside the eyes of some Stanmorn fans, that he could ever really make it back into the national side.

In terms of quality on the pitch however, Charles Winward wasn’t remembered by many, and those that did, probably didn’t remember him fondly. Whilst the decision to play him as a left wing back in retrospect was a bit baffling (and something of a damning indictment on actual left back Patrick Cannon in the squad), Winward also offered little in any position internationally, and was too much on the “jack of all trades, master of none” path. A respected and liked character, but one from the early days of Flavovespian international football who was given a chance, didn’t take it, and sure enough better options arose.

by **Savigliane** » Tue May 24, 2022 12:38 pm

Ichi Tuzzio knew that you had to be careful, to an extent, when speaking to older players. Not everyone at Gigi Vitale's age had accepted the new realities of their bodies yet, especially not pacy wingbacks who made a living off of Kicking The Ball Real Far And Then Running Up To It. From what he'd seen of the Dynamo Sjoederhavn standout, Vitale had at least adapted tactically. Her brain no longer outpaced her body, and he'd noticed that she'd really started to show more skill dribbling up the wings or whipping in crosses than he was accustomed to from the right-back. It seemed to Tuzzio that, although the pace was starting to go, she was headed for a graceful decline rather than a swift exit from the world's upper echelon.

Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't going to drop her though - hence the need to be careful. But the fact was that Nicoletta Sauvageon was quicker, trickier, and starting to develop some actual defensive awareness in training. The Tikariot City FC youngster had shown some real growth, especially in defensive workrate, since leaving the Red League, and had made the most of her limited run during the qualifiers. Ahead of a key battle against Kelssek that could determine who would join Hapilopper/Valanora in staying alive and who would head straight to the Cup of Harmony, Ichi couldn't afford to leave the right flank open again. He'd reluctantly started Vitale in the first leg, and had then watched as Colm Ó Tuathail had ripped her to pieces in a resounding Kelssek victory. So it would have to be Sauvageon. Of course, Vitale was still likely to come on as a substitute, depending on how the match was going. But Ichi was confident that the Snowy Owl could get the critical job done.

Luca Cambiaso, the talented but overly conservative Couno right-back, could find out Sauvageon was starting with the rest of them. But although Ichi could be very blunt at times, he needed Vitale to accept a potential substitute role and continue to play as hard as she had been if Sauvageon couldn't handle things. This meant that her ego would need to be massaged a little, to maximize efficacy if her name was called. He had briefly thought through how to best word the message, but ultimately decided it would be best to be straightforward. He'd open with how impressed he was with her resilience and willingness to adapt. Unfortunately, more pace would be needed to handle the threat of Ó Tuathail, which even Vitale would have to recognize outplayed her. Still, he valued her contributions to the team, and would strongly consider a second-half substitution to inject some late energy and allow her to focus on giving her all instead of managing her stamina.

While continuing to muse over the plan, Ichi unexpectedly heard a knock at the door. Peering in was the apologetic face of the team physio, Jean-Luc Durand. "Boss? It's, uh, Nicoletta. She picked up a pretty bad knock in training, uh, right knee - she might be out a few matches." Tuzzio nodded. "Thanks for letting me know, Jean-Luc," he replied, feeling his heart sink as Durand turned to walk away.

Giovanna Vitale knew what it meant to get called into the manager's office like this. She'd experienced it once with Edward Hernandez, and a few times under Tlanx-Nulzk Hal. You didn't get called in with no explanation right before a critical match if you were going to start.

It made sense, in a way. Luca was definitely worse than she was, but after what Ó Tuathail had done to her in the first Kelssek match, it would make sense for Tuzzio to want some defensive stability. Nicoletta was still pretty raw, too, but maybe he'd try to throw pace at the problem. She didn't think it was a good choice, but there was at least some twisted reasoning behind it.

"You wanted to see me?" she said, opening the already-ajar door (weird, Tuzzio usually left it closed).

She was greeted with a clearly exasperated manager, but Tuzzio at least tried to hide it, briefly smiling at her. "Thanks, Gigi. I just wanted to let you know that I've noticed the effort you've been putting in to evolve your game in training lately. Of course, we'll need to adjust how we handle Ó Tuathail on the right side this match, given what happened last time."

A brief silence. "...and?"

"We're updating our look a little in terms of how we cover him - you'll probably be staying back more, but we'll get more detailed instructions during the whiteboard session. But I just wanted to tell you that I've still got you penciled in to start against Kelssek. Obviously, it's not the easiest call, given everything happening at right-back - but I fully trust you to get it done."

by **Brookstation** » Tue May 24, 2022 12:43 pm

I||II||III||IV|V|VI|VII

The 20 is a blog series where authors of Brookstation's biggest football blog, The Beautiful Game documents the lives of some of the best players to have played in Brook soil. Aimed at inaugurating the 50th edition of the Harrison Shield, we document the lives of the players who define the top 20 football clubs in Brookstation.

BAREND ROBRECHT:THE TRAGIC HERO OF ESSIDISE

Essidise is a proud city due to its rich and compelling history including their history of football. They defined football in the late 70s and early 80s. A host of known names formed an integral part of the team including Horan Lato , Lorenzo Piers , Johnathan Morgan etc. But there was one player who defined the club's game.

Born on 16th August 1944 in Hacienda, his family relocated to Essidise. His family had a rich footballing history and it was obvious that Robrecht would follow their footsteps by joining the Essidise academy at the age of 11. Robrecht displayed his skills for 8 years and would finally debut for the club’s junior side. His debut performances would make the club more interested in the boy and he would make his first appearance for the club in 1965, aged 21. Essidise Titan’s coach Bill Russell needed a strong team and the young and agile Robrecht would be his best midfield option.Russell wanted a young but skilled team as he believed that it were these very young guns who would bring a reform in Brook football one day.

Robrecht flourished in his first season, scoring eight goals, helping his team win the Western Division. The Western region of Brookstation has been subject to corruption for a very long time and Robrecht soon got exposed to the culture. He was caught taking drugs and suspended from the club for three months and imprisoned for a month. This would be a pivotal part of his career as it would bring a change in his attitude towards the game. This had also put a bad impression on Bill Russell who now avoided Robrecht. The only way Barend could make a comeback to the team was by improving his performances and thus he took training more seriously and eventually earned his place in the team back.

“ I couldn’t spend a day without weed or alcohol but later on I realised that my career is much more important. I didn’t touch weed or alcohol after that.”

Robrecht knew no limits and he would soon be performing stunningly, promising his club all sorts of things. Robrecht scored twice in a 4-2 victory over a strong Shkotan side and Essidise would top the table once again ahead of their fierce opponents.

One of Robrecht’s most memorable performances would come against FC 69 Norwegian wood four years later during the first edition of the Harrison Shield. FC 69 Norwegian wood had defeated the mighty FC Hacienda side (who went on to win the inaugural edition) only to be shattered by an Essidise side. The first was a striking shot from quite a long distance followed by a header from Court’s corner. His third goal however was the most impressive of all. He had himself initiated the attack from the midfield, working his way up with short passes before crossing the ball to Donald Wood who would pass the ball to Ethan Wizard who would in turn slip the ball to Robrecht. Robrecht dribbled through the defense and carved a shot over the helpless Norwegian wood goalkeeper. His performances were however overshadowed by Bruno Pucci, the man said to have introduced football to Brookstation.

Robrecht was not only a wonderful striker who kept supplying goals for his team but he was also a fierce and aggressive defender. Back in the olden days, football wasn’t nearly as gentle as it is today and defenders accounted for the majority of the brutalities on field. In those days strikers would fear to break through the defenses of various clubs and a referee taking out a yellow card was a rare occasion. Robrecht would often slip into the defensive areas when the ball was in the opponent’s possession. Combined with his speed , his brutal tackles would be really effective for his team.

With a brilliant squad, Essidise headed towards the 1974 Harrison Shield.In the group stages, the side swept Goolsea Pistols 6-1, Robrecht scoring a brace. After Goolsea, it was Denver who would face their misfortune after being dismantled 3-0. Their final game against Kars Club would call for some attention but it was Robrecht’s side that came out victorious after a closely fought battle. Even if Essidise managed to easily overcome the group stage, the Quarter Final brought a new number of surprises for Essidise. Essidise would go on to face the mighty Dreamland City side where a young talent Angelo Rachid was rising through the ranks. Essidise fell behind in the first half when Phunihel George converted a free kick into Dreamland’s first goal. But the brilliance of Barend would help their team retaliate as soon as the second half began. Robrecht controlled the ball in an impressive manner before swinging the ball into the net. A Dan Afdiel goal in extra time would finally see Essidise reach the semi finals of the Harrison Shield for the first time.

Their final encounter would be against Rottenham United in the Pop Smoke Stadium with an attendance of around 60000 people. The match was a rather defensive one where the defense took the job on their shoulders and the offense didn’t have much to do. A 21 year old Wolter Reiner would score the first goal of the match for Joris Ronald’s Rottenham side. This was a massive blow to the Essidise Titans but Robrecht knew that there was still time for him to turn the tables. Within 8 minutes of Reiner’s goal Barend would cut through Rottenham’s defense and dribble the ball in order to surprise the Rottenham defender before striking the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. It was a goal completely dedicated to Robrecht himself. Twenty minutes into the second half, Alfred Alfons scored Essidise’s second goal after a long contested battle with Rottenham’s defenders, giving Essidise the lead. Bernhard’s men would be victorious and hold the Harrison Shield in their arms for the first time. Robrecht’s skills would finally be acknowledged that season and he was rightfully awarded his only Brook Player of the Year award.

Barend playing for Essidise

Robrecht would spend the rest of the 70s happily scoring goals for his clubs and winning silverwares as well but the new decade wouldn’t start on a great note for Robrecht. He was plagued by injury in his relatively old age and he would be forced to leave the club and head for Nnem Suns, a club struggling in the Second Division. He would play one season in Nnem before injury ruled him out of the game forever at the age of 38.

“What a fine lad he was. I can't believe he was actually retiring from the game. The Brook football world will lose one of their greats from football today.” Jurgen Brooks (Halebid United striker 1977-1982)

25th June, 1989 was a tragic day for Essidise fans as their legend Barend Robrecht would pass away in a car accident at the mere age of 45. In honour of such a player, Essidise players played their next season matches in memory of Robrecht wearing special jerseys throughout the season. A stand of the Old Town Road has been named after Barend Robrecht in respect for his enormous contributions for the club. Barend Robrecht was perhaps one of the most balanced footballers who excelled in both offense and defense. Essidise’s reputation may have been overshadowed today and Robrecht may be forgotten but his legacy in Essidise will remain forever.

MORE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL GAME :

The era when the West ruled in Brookstation
Bruno Pucci and the unlikely success story of FC Hacienda
From 11th to 2nd: The story of Brookstation's WCQ journey so far
Brookstation thrash Sargossa 4-1 to maintain their position at 2nd

by **Yue Zhou** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:41 pm

OOC Note: This is not a formal Yue government publication, but a leaked document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggestive of the government's future plans.

STRENGTHENING YUE-KITARAN BORDER SECURITY AFTER THE NANGANG ATTACK
a policy statement from the government of the united republics of yuezhou

SUMMARY
Yue intelligence has suggested that the recent Xingruichang Plaza attack in Nangang, which killed five and injured twenty-six Yue civilians, could be only the first of a series of coordinated attacks by former members of the Yue People's Army now living in Nyowani Kitara. During the Kitaran Civil War, a component task force of the now-defunct People's Federation of Yuezhou, led by Brigadier General Wang Chuan, was dispatched to the front lines in Nyowani Kitara at the KPWC's request. After the signing of the Varakoula Accords and the cessation of the People's Federation, an estimated six thousand members of the task force have remained in Nyowani Kitara, many of whom are now trying to return to the United Republics of Yuezhou. These include anti-UR terrorists such as Lin Long, who has recently been charged for the Xingruichang Plaza attack. It is imperative that the remnants of the YPA are prevented from breaking the peace codified by the Varakoula Accords. The Yue Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a document containing policy recommendations for increased Yue-Kitaran border security, which is summarized below.

Demobilization of ex-YPA Elements within Nyowani Kitara
According to Article 4.e.iv of the Varakoula Accords, pathways toward the demobilization of KRF forces must be defined and executed by the Kitaran government. While the former YPA task force is not part of the KRF, its formal cooperation with the KRF during the Kitaran Civil War means that the Kitaran government, and the IFPNK if necessary, should take action to ensure its demobilization. This includes appropriately enforcing Kitaran weapons regulations on the remaining Yueren in the nation, preventing them from retaining the capacities to carry out coordinated attacks in the United Republics. By breaking up and disarming potential cells of former YPA members within Nyowani Kitara, interested parties can remove destabilizing actors and ensure greater stability for Pavola and Rushmore as a whole.

Increased Yue-Kitaran Intelligence-Sharing
Domestic efforts to track down the remnants of the Yue People's Army have been handicapped by an inability to access People's Federation records, which were largely destroyed in the Yue Civil War. As a result, the United Republics' security forces have faced difficulties keeping track of ex-YPA members and preventing them from carrying out further attacks. The United Republics' intelligence has struggled to predict future attacks due to this lack of information as well. However, due to their government's cooperation with the People's Federation, the Kitaran government would be able to assist with information-sharing. The creation of a shared IPFNK database of dangerous ex-YPA members and their aliases and whereabouts would bolster Yue national security immensely. Cooperation between Yue security forces and those of Nyowani Kitara and member nations of the IPFNK would also help mitigate the risk to Yue national security presented by the YPA threat. The United Republics is greatly appreciative of Eura's recent comments offering support in tracking down such agitators and calls on other relevant parties to follow suit.

Resource-Sharing to Bolster Kitaran Anti-Narcotics Operations
Recent reports that illicit narcotics trading has 'flourished' in Nyowani Kitara should come as a cause of concern for all IFPNK members. There is reason to believe that the inflammation of the Kitaran black markets presents a compounding risk factor to Yue national security. In particular, it is suggested that fake documents may have been supplied to ex-YPA members in Nyowani Kitara. Because of this, as well as the inherent risk to continued peace that extensive illicit operations within Kitaran borders presents, the United Republics considers such operations to be a subregional security risk within Pavola. As such, the United Republics suggests a dedicated task force within the IFPNK that could collaborate with the Kitaran government in order to mitigate such narcotic risks. The United Republics would be willing to contribute manpower or resources to such a task force if the Kitaran government and other interested parties are willing to cooperate.

Avoiding Inflammatory Actions In Yue-Kitaran Diplomacy
Good-faith cooperation on this vital matter of national security is a prerequisite for continued cooperation according to the Varakoula Accords. The United Republics views diplomacy through the proper channels as its first reaction to troubling scenarios like the Xingruichang Attack. For this reason, we have prepared a number of collaborative policy suggestions that would help mitigate the threat presented to Yue national security while preserving the terms of the Varakoula Accords. However, unwillingness to collaborate with regional actors from the Kitaran government would be viewed as a direct challenge to Yue national security, which we cannot accept in the face of this threat. For this reason, the United Republics would consider bad-faith actions, such as granting mass amnesty to former YPA members, as a breach of Article 6 of the Varakoula Accords. In the absence of any legitimate alternative, we also call on Nafuna Akongo's government to reciprocate the United Republics' recognition of her government so that we may accelerate the reconciliation process and work towards continued peace together.

by **Alasdair I Frosticus** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:51 pm

AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE HOLY EMPIRE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

"Hello. Tonight we welcome Professor Igor Von Madscientisto, who has a very special announcement to make about the ... notable bodily outgrowths that have been occurring with some of our otherwise completely and utterly normal and wholly unremarkable squad this World Cup."

"Thank, Mr Bureaucratic Official - and I am very sorry for not remembering your name.

Yes, it is true; I am having important announcement to share over source of mutations that are impacting Holy Empire squad this World Cup. Is really very simple.

Before I begin, let us look at latest mutations. Here in 4-1 home victory against Chartistan, substitute Constantine Argyro is growing extra noses down left leg. I see no apparent benefit to this, and I must be saying that no player is gaining benefit from mutations, unless we are counting Michael Comneno's new-found superiority at corners, Isaac Paraspondylo's expanded field of vision, or it being much harder for Jose Miguel Arianites to handle ball due to extra feet on wrists. But I submit these are being accidental. Then in 2-0 away victory to Astograth, defender Basil Scleruso is sprouting individual small anatomically correct hands out of tips of fingers, which have themselves sprouted very tiny anatomically correct hands out of tips of individual fingers. Mr Scleruso is now incapable of playing normal piano - though he is surprising self at ability to play 250 very tiny pianos simultaneously.

Now, what is cause. Yes, I know you are all being eager to know.

Cause is very simple, and I will now explain cause.

Yes, this is the moment where I am explaining cause.

Just now.... this is cause-explaining moment.

I am sorry; let us begin to explain cause...

Yes, before World Cup, Holy Empire squad is visiting planet named Shayol. This is not well-known planet, but out of the way location was being considered perfect for nice, quiet training camp for completely normal team who have not been playing together before, but have been chosen to defend World Cup.

Unfortunately, it is seeming that planet named Shayol is home to unusual lifeform called 'dromozoa'. Dromozoa seem intelligent, but communication is proving impossible. As far as humanoid lifeforms are concern, sole purpose of dromozoa seems to be implanting visitors with extra spare body parts. Here is quote from unusually bovine man who has experienced Shayol in person, apparently with job of harvesting new body parts:

You jump when the dromozoa hit you. You'll be upset when you start growing new parts—heads, kidneys, hands. I had one fellow in here who grew thirty-eight hands in a single session outside. I took them all off, froze them and sent them upstairs.

Dromozoa are seeming to be so powerful that they are transcending Ordinary Reality, and can implant bits on imperial citizens - though rate of growth of new body parts is being both slower and unpredictable. This is also being reason why dromozoa bits cannot be dreamed out of existence in Dreamed Realm, thereby providing utterly unique and very, very exciting example of species from Ordinary Reality that is impacting imperial citizens, subject which is demanding further study!

Now, are dromozoa dangerous? Completely not. Indeed, if mundy were to visit planet named Shayol, they would find that dromozoa would cater to all their needs. They would no longer need food or drink or produce bodily waste. Unfortunately, in time, they would become like Go-Captain Alvarez, human who was discovering Shayol in his reality, and is now nothing more than giant pile of barely recognisable mutant flesh who makes volcano sounds when happy. Fortunately, dromozoa cannot leave Shayol; they are unique to planet, and cannot survive outside unique atmospheric conditions. There is therefore being no risk of transmission of dromozoa budding between imperial squad and cute little mundies.

As to players, am studying situation closely with health and safety teams from HEFA. I am disappointed to be reporting that HEFA are not allowing me to dissect any members of squad, or to cut off their spare body parts for study. Instead I am being told by pettifogging bureaucrats who do not understand true value of SCIENCE!!!!! that I must wait for body parts to fully mature before surgery can begin.

By my estimate, full maturity of body parts should coincide with day after World Cup 91 final; so for now otherwise normal and wholly unremarkable Holy Empire squad must put up with spare body parts, some of which are being useful, and some of which are being not useful.

Thank you, and I am hoping that this will give full explanation of what is happening to team!

by **Wreckeria** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:57 pm

From: “The Tales of a Dead Country – The Story of Wreckeria’s World Cup 91 Campaign” by Gord Radcliff

9: A dead country?

The Wreckerian identity

To get some kind of idea of why the Independent Wreckerian Athletes had become such a sensation, and why they had developed such a large, devoted fanbase, I decided to skip out on the national team for a few days and travel the area formerly known as Wreckeria. The story I had heard was that Wreckerians were tired of being Wreckerians, they wanted to merge into Hapilopper and call it a day. After all, the Wreckerian identity was that of war, death, destruction, famine and pestilence, wasn’t it?

The answer to that wasn’t quite that simple. Not far from the team hotel was Peterson’s Sandwich Shop, a popular hangout for people to get lunch, and home of some of the best corned-beef sandwiches I had ever had. This was my kind of place. On Wednesday nights, the proprietor liked to screen old shitty horror movies from the 70s and 80s, something that always packed the place out. Something about bad slasher movies and worse acting always entertained the patrons of this restaurant. One Wednesday night, I came by to enjoy “Wild Hammer Man”, a 1979 Hapiloppian movie about, well, a wild hammer-wielding maniac and about a bunch of stupid teenagers who, as stupid teenagers usually do in horror movies, do the dumbest things possible to get away from the bad guy.

The movie has not aged well. The bad guy looks like a complete maniac, swinging his hammer like a lunatic at these poor hapless souls while screaming like an idiot. Everyone in the sandwich shop loves it. Where in 1979, the movie might have scared everyone, on this evening, it’s nothing short of hilarious.

“Yeah, that’ll get everyone going, ‘WOAOAHOAHOAH, I’M GONNA KILL YA!’” one guy shouts.

One of the regulars at Peterson’s is Tom Hall, a 38-year old lifelong resident of Halsted. He says that having grown up seeing the hell that broke out in the Wreckerian Civil War, he feels like his sense of humor is a little darker, a little more macabre than most people’s.

“I grew up in the shit,” Tom tells me. “Most of my life I’ve known the True Wreckerians and Party of Priders trying to kill each other. Now that it’s over for good, and now that we’re getting back to what should be normal, it’s nice to laugh at something like this.”

Tom is Wreckerian through and through. While he doesn’t mind calling himself a Hapiloppian, he also gladly speaks of being a Wreckerian, and more importantly, a survivor.

“All of us that lived through that, we’re survivors, we can handle anything,” Tom says. “We saw death. I could tell you about how I watched a missile land in a supermarket I had just left. I saw people maimed. I’ve seen more in my life than I hope anyone ever will. But at the same time, it’s over, and we survived it. We survived wondering if we were going to live or die the next day. We survived not being able to afford to eat. We may be Hapiloppians now, but I don’t think the rest of Hapilopper truly understands what it takes to survive.”

At first, I sensed a slight amount of resentment. After all, Hapilopper was the so-called “promised land.” They were the land where everyone had everything, and Wreckeria, well, wasn’t.
“They may have been the promised land, but they don’t know what it means to survive,” Tom says. “We’ve done so much with so little for so long, that now that we’ve got more, there’s nothing we can’t do. You know what the Wreckerian identity is, man? Survive against all odds and come out stronger than ever. Ain’t nobody gonna stop you.”

Tom, who works as a contractor for one of Halsted’s biggest construction companies, is optimistic.

“We’re building our shit back up,” Tom says. “There’s all kinds of high-rises that’s going to be built in the coming months. People are going to be able to live, work and play here in Halsted and elsewhere in Wreckeria without having to worry about affording it. Grocery stores are full of food again, and nobody’s going hungry. I’d say in two to three years, we’re going to be able to rival some of Hapilopper’s biggest cities. People are going to want to live here instead of stay away. We’re going to be just fine.”

The price of fame

“You know, in years past, I could go to a place like Peterson’s and have a nice night there, get a really good hero sandwich, drink a couple of beers and watch one of those shitty B-movies,” Marvin Byrnes says. “But now, we can’t go there. None of us can go there. I kind of miss it but you know, that’s the price of fame.”

Marvin was kind of jealous of me when I told him I had gone to Peterson’s the night before. None of the team had been banned from the sandwich shop. Far from it, in fact. The shop was dotted with Wreckerian football jerseys, such as those from Sig Justice, John Marlowe, Huey Hooper, Biscuit Gilbert and Gordon Sheppard. But they couldn’t go there.

“It’s like, the bad thing about fame, and the bad thing about being this national teams, is that everywhere you go, you get mobbed by people,” Marvin explains. “And to be perfectly honest, you can’t hate it because everyone is so glad to see you. I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to us and thanked us for all we’ve done, saying we’ve been such an inspiration to all of them. And you appreciate it, you’re grateful for that support, but it’s like… we’re just out to get a sandwich. We’re trying to get groceries. We’ll be good.”

Marvin jokes that he has considered hiring a go-fer for the team to get that food and those groceries. And to tell the truth, it doesn’t seem like that bad of an idea to me.

“You know, we could get someone, for 50 grand a year, they can go out to get our food, get our groceries and deliver them to us,” Marvin says. “I mean, it beats the hell out of going to Mel’s Ultra-Mart at three in the morning to avoid the crowds. That’s what those of us famous people have to do. Rather than getting mobbed by people, we set our alarm for a certain time, throw some clothes on, go to Mel’s, get our stuff and then go back home and go to bed again.”

I got what he meant by fame. That night I went back to Peterson’s for a sandwich and a beer. As I sat at the bar, I asked the bartenders if they had seen the Wreckerian footballers come in for lunch.

“I miss when they’d come here,” one of the bartenders says. “I mean, I get why they don’t, but I miss them. Those last times they came here, last year, right after they took the lead in the group, they’d come in here, someone would spot them and everyone would come over, wanting to shake their hand, give them a hug, get their picture with them, get autographs, whatever. It got to the point where they couldn’t come back because they couldn’t have a moment to themselves here.”

The bartender explained, though, that Wreckerian footballers are held to a higher degree of esteem than practically everyone else.

“I mean, my god,” the bartender says. “When Wreckeria took the lead in the group last year, that was the first time that I could recall people were talking about us in a good way than a bad way. Like, all the time people were talking about how we were the embarrassment of the region, how we couldn’t do anything right, and now we’re leading the group, beating teams we probably shouldn’t be beating. That inspired more people than you’d think. That inspired people to rebuild this place more than anything else. So, yeah, you want to know why the footballers are hounded like that? That’s why.”

by **Ochre Islands** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:22 pm

'Bridge. Bridge. Bridge. Bridge. This one's a bit smudged... ...ah, bridge. Bridge..'

'Problems, Byron?' Senator Ginsley, the Prime Minister had walked into the office of Byron Leifox, Foreign Secretary, whilst he reviewed recent correspondence coming out of Cardenao.

'Not quite, PM' Byron responded, looking up from the pile of letters from Cardenao (which weighed about the equivalent of the weight of two takeaway pizzas) at the Prime Minister, who was wearing a new linen sash to denote her position as Prime Minister. 'It's just Cardenao. They seem to think we're as obsessed with flax and its byproducts as they are with bridges' he said, stretching his arms out to show the sleeves of his fine linen shirt, brushing his linen-papered notepad whilst he did so.

'Ah, I have heard about that. Is it not more worrisome that they seem to be allying themselves militarily with Starblaydia?' 'What do you mean, Prime Minister?' 'Well they've had naval training from them. It places us possibly at risk on our southern and south-eastern coastlines to a Starblaydi-trained blockade or possibly worse. We've tried to keep ourselves largely neutral in regional affairs, ever since the incident, and small militarily, but this could force our-'

'Will they blockade the flax?'

'Byron?'

'Will Starblaydia or Cardenao blockade our flax? It's very important to everyone.'

'Byron we get flax from Quebec and Shingoryeo as well as Cardenao and anyone else who wants to send us some in exchange for cash or goods' (ooc: hint) 'so a flax embargo isn't going- Byron what's that noise?'

Byron stood up and walked over to the window, pushing it up to open it, then stuck his head out into the warm air outside and above the street below. 'Ah, it's just another 25 tonnes of flax (equivalent to a fully loaded bin lorry), Prime Minister. Could I interest you in some flax?'

Lucy sighed then suddenly found herself awash with fear. Everyone around her was seemingly nuts. She needed to get out.

World Cup 91 [roleplays]

Boot It!: Do Not Give Us Hope

No Matter The Score, We Will Fight

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